A Twist in Time
by The Hope Lions
Summary: Nina Martin returns to Anubis house for her senior year and just wants to be normal. So when she and Eddie touch an odd statue and end up in 1932 things start to get a bit crazy. After all, there was never supposed to be two Chosen Ones and Osirians, right? Can the future be changed or is destiny too powerful a force even for Sibuna? Peddie and Fabina. Lots of timey-wimey fun!
1. Chapter 1 House of Returns

Hello my friends! I know, I know, I said I was done writing for HOA….but if any of you have ever paid attention to when I update you know I'm not very good at keeping promises. That said, I discovered none of the other fandoms are as lovely as you guys, so I figured _Hope, you've got a new plot, why not write it._ And after much arm twisting (read, none) I'm back, and this story should be fun. In case you're wondering, no, this has absolutely nothing to do with My Ring of Osiris saga. Really, that's over. Like really, really, over. This takes place instead of season 3 because let's be honest, everything makes more sense when we pretend none of that happened. Enjoy, and don't forget to review! I missed you guys! Now that you've read my long explanation, let's get to the story.

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Chapter 1

House of Returns

"Nina Martin I am the god Anubis come to claim you for your destiny. Muh ha ha ha!" A falsely-deep voice voice whispered from behind my unsuspecting ear. Jumping a foot, I turned around to see the darkening hair of none other than Eddie Miller.

"Eddie!" I cried hitting him. "You terrified me! What are you even doing here? I thought your plane landed weeks ago." Actually, I knew his plane landed weeks ago because his letters had become increasingly more…annoyed now that the teachers and staff of Frobisher Academy surrounded him daily.

Eddie rolled his eyes before following me towards the luggage claim, "I have been at school, but Amber took an early plane in and arrived yesterday. I swear if I had to listen to one more minute of her talking about Rob Patts I was going to go nuts. Picking you up at the airport was the first excuse I could think of to get out of there."

Yeah, Amber could be a bit much sometimes, couldn't she? Still, the girl did mean well. "Well I don't have as many bags as Amber, but you can help me carry this," I decided tossing the bag holding my uniforms onto his extended arms. If Eddie thought I'd just let him slack off while I carried everything he was very, very wrong.

"Hey! I'm not a caddy," the boy pouted causing me to burst out laughing. We'd never gotten a chance to talk last semester, considering Senkara was trying to kill me most of the time, so I'd never gotten a chance to just interact with Eddie. Last I'd seen of him he was exorcising an ancient pharaoh from my body and that tends to be a silent endeavor. We'd written a lot over the summer, but I'd never paid attention to the little nuances in his face before. Now that I actually looked, what Patricia saw in him was just a little bit clearer. (Not that he came anything close to my type, of course.) Speaking of my type…

"So Amber's back already…is Fabian?"

Eddie grinned; clearly he'd been waiting for me to ask. "He wasn't there when I left, but I just got a text that said he'd probably beat us back."

Good. I didn't want to wait a moment longer than I had to. The international calling was so astronomically high we hadn't even spoken once all summer and emails…they just didn't come close to comparing.

With Eddie's help, I quickly made it to the parking lot where he'd brought a school van. Thank God; I hated the trains and taxis I always had to take. The ride back to school was a long one, but Eddie's a good talker. I'd tried to explain over email all the things he needed to know now that he was a part of Sibuna, but from all the questions Eddie dawned, I hadn't done a good job.

"So, we put our left hand in front of the eye, right?" the oddly-nervous boy asked for what had to be the third time.

"No, we put the right hand in front of our eye."

"Right, the right, that's what I said."

Beads of sweat rolled down the boy's forehead, and I couldn't let this carry on much longer, "Eddie, what's wrong?"

"It's just," he sighed clearly not ready to talk, but needing to none-the-less. "Look, last year I knew there was a sort of club only Mara, Joy Jerome and I weren't allowed in, but I never knew what you guys were really up to. Now I'm not only a part of it, but also your destined protector or whatever, and I'm just not sure I'm up to it."

Just your normal teenage fears, "You'll be great at being the Osirian. I had no idea what I was doing either, but I figured it out. You will too."

"But aren't we supposed to be opposites, so if you were good at it doesn't that make me automatically terrible?" Hmm…I'd never thought about that. Actually, I'd barely thought about this at all. Maybe it was because I'd had a whole semester to figure out what I was whereas Eddie just got it dropped on him one day, but being the Chosen One never freaked me out. Apparently that wasn't so much the case with Eddie.

"I don't think it works like that," I answered despite not really knowing one way or another. "Look, I'm not the Chosen One all the time. Most of the time I'm just me, Nina Martin, and when I do need to be the Chosen One I just know what to do. I'm sure it's the same way for the Osirian. You're still Eddie, but should I need help you will know what to do. You knew what to do to Senkara last spring, didn't you?"

"Well yeah…"

"Then you'll know what to do next time it happens. This is a good thing Eddie, I promise." Maybe I didn't want to be the Chosen One, but in an odd way it made my life better. It gave me a family in Sibuna, and really that was the best family I could want.

"You're probably right," Eddie confessed and I wished I had a tape recorder. (Because how often does Eddie Miller A, talk about his feelings, or B, admit he's wrong?) "I'm sure that when the time comes I'll know what to do."

"If the time comes," I reminded him with a gulp. "We don't even know if something will go wrong this year. For all we know neither of us will ever need our abilities again."

My words might say otherwise, but my gut agreed with Eddie's face. Something was brewing for us in Sibuna, something big, and whatever was about to happen would change our lives forever.


	2. Chapter 2 House of Visions

If any of you read my other story, you know I'm kinder when people review. So…review?

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Chapter 2

House of Visions

"Careful," Eddie chuckled. "You lean any further in your seat and you'll go right through the windshield. I don't think protecting you from my bad driving is in the job description."

I rolled my eyes, but didn't respond to the boy's tease. I didn't care if I looked like a childish fool. I was home and within those ancient doors were the people I lived for.

As soon as Eddie pulled the car into park, I unbuckled and hopped from the van. My bags were in my hands and up half the steps before Eddie even got out of his car and met me at the door. Since my hands were full, he went to turn the handle, but neither of us needed to touch it to have the doors open wide.

"Seriously, some day this place is going to stop being weird," Eddie murmured causing me to laugh. The day Anubis house and normal could work together in a sentence would be the day I died of shock.

"NINS!" Amber cried practically throwing herself down the stairs. As if awoken by the blonde's welcome, the house came to life my roommates flowing in to say hello. After a series of hugs from everyone, I found myself staring at a lone Fabian. Amber, being Amber, noticed our longing gaze, and she quickly shuffled everyone from the hallway leaving Fabian and I alone.

"Hey," he whispered stepping close enough to touch my hair.

"Hey," I muttered back through my grinning smile.

The best thing about Fabian and my kisses; they'd not heavy. We've never been one of those couples like you see on TV, the ones who can't keep their hands to themselves. Each time Fabian and my mouths met it wasn't sex on our minds. We thought of each other and just how much we'd hate being separated. Fabian had been my first boyfriend and I never wanted a second. I only wanted him.

"I love you," he confessed softly into my ear. "And I missed you so much."

I wanted to tell him just how much I'd missed him too, but Victor chose that moment to lean over the railing and start yelling, "How many times have I told you this is a hallway not a gathering place! Shoo!"

"You know sometimes I wonder if he realizes we're not ravens," Fabian joked grabbing my hand and leading me into the common room. After a tight hug from Trudy, I grabbed one of her brownies and went to sit down on the couch. Patricia sat practically on top of her boyfriend's lap. Eddie had worried that not seeing her all summer would strain their relationship, but it seemed I was right when I said they'd be all right.

"So what's it going to be this year?" Alfie asked mouth stuffed with Trudy's delicacies.

Patricia balked, "Alfie! That's disgusting. Chew your food."

"Bhat I woo gong," I heard him saw before finally swallowing, "What did I do wrong?"

We all only shook our head; some things would never change. And that was probably for the best.

"So long as it has nothing to do with Rufus," Jerome, who'd been walking past and heard his friend, interjected. "I want nothing to do with it. Keep your freakish freakness to yourselves."

"Rufus is dead," I told him despite realizing I'd said that at the start of last semester. "I mean he has to be dead this time. No fake obituaries just dead."

Fabian nodded, "If he made it out of that than I think he deserves to rule the world. I think we've finally seen the last of him."

"Amen," Eddie murmured thinking of his predecessor who gave him a concussion. "And to answer your question, Alfie, I don't think anything is going to go wrong this year. I think everything will be normal."

"Well I hope not," a pouting Amber interjected. Upon seeing out startled faces, she shrugged, "I'm just saying that before you came here Nina we had a normal year and it was boring. I like Sibuna mysteries."

Yeah. I didn't agree with her, but the words Patricia uttered next were probably correct, "I don't think we're going to get a choice in the matter, but I want us all to agree on one thing. We're Sibuna and I don't want you already cursed and involved in something before I find out about it this time. Okay?"

I never realized my waiting to tell Patricia and Alfie about Senkara had bothered her so much, but I nodded in assent. We were a team. We were Sibuna, and we were going to act as such.

After agreeing to meet down in the tunnels to check on the Cup after lights out, we went our separate ways. I'd never realized before Eddie mentioned it that we were so obvious in our meetings. It's a wonder that we never did get Mara or someone butting in.

I wanted to get some rest so I didn't start the year exhausted, so I tried to take a short nap before our Sibuna meeting. I'd just fallen asleep when a rasp on the door woke me up.

Sitting up, I opened the door and found, to my surprise, a pale-faced Eddie standing on the other side. "Eddie, what's wrong?"

Before answering, Eddie stepped inside and shut the door behind him, "I wanted to tell you now so we can figure out what we're going to tell the others. It happened right before dinner when I walked by the cellar on my way to my room."

"Eddie, what happened?" he was making no sense, probably because whatever happened had him scared out of his wits.

"It was like… a vision I guess. I walked past the cellar door and saw you standing by the window. But you were dressed weird, vintage, and there was another woman with you. You actually looked a lot alike…the thing is, she was wearing your necklace. Both of you were. I don't know what it means."

It sounded like he was seeing Sarah back in the younger days, but why would he see me with her? "I…I don't know what it means. The only visions I ever had were of the last Chosen One, Sarah, but I always saw her as an old lady. I don't know why you'd be seeing us together in this house…"

"Why do I have a feeling we're going to find out very soon?" Eddie asked rhetorically. Still, I had an answer and it seemed like I wasn't getting sleep any time soon.

"Isn't that always the case?"


	3. Chapter 3 House of Statues

I really do hope you guys are reading/like this fic. For updates, I've developed a system. Excluding my fic In the TARDIS, my other 3 fics are updated based on the number of reviews the last chapter got. If you want quick updates drop a review. Even a smiley counts! It's just a way for me to know I'm giving a little extra love to those who love it just a little extra! Now that you know that, on with the tale.

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Chapter 3

House of Statues

"Alfie's not coming," Fabian whispered once he and Eddie met up with Patricia, Amber and I. "He thought we were meeting at 11 and Victor caught him sneaking out, so now he didn't want to risk it a second time."

Aww, poor Alfie. Still, it was probably best he didn't come; the guy could be a pain in the tunnels. Really, I didn't know why anyone was coming, Eddie excluded. I just needed to double check the cup was where I left it last June and show Eddie how to navigate the tunnel system. We'd left school before he'd had a chance to embrace the Osirian within, and now it was the day of Reckoning.

"Maybe you all should go to bed before getting caught," I suggested though I knew what their responses would be. "It's not like we actually are doing anything interesting."

Amber rolled her crystal blue eyes, and pushed into the cellar, "Sibuna remember? Where one goes we all go, even at the cost of our beauty sleep."

No one fights with Amber, so we all crawled through the mounting dust after her. In the cellar, none to our surprise, Victor's chemistry sets stood as always. You'd think he'd have given up considering he had no tears of gold to use, but the main was notably persistent. _Well, he is almost 100. For one to live even that long was a feat only trumped by the gods. _

Fabian easily unlocked our way into Frobisher's study, where, to my surprise, something looked different. "Okay, is it just me or is that giant statue new?" Amber stated looking annoyed. (I know, how dare something change on her.)

"No it's definitely new," Fabian muttered taking a picture of it on his phone. "And Egyptian."

"Greaaaaat," Amber drawled bouncing between her feet. "More creepy Egyptian stuff. Nins, I think I might take you up on your offer and go back to bed."

"Don't be such a wimp," Patricia friendlily chastised. "I'm sure it's just one of Victor's things he stuffed here."

Amber and Fabian nodded in agreement, but from the look in Eddie's eye he didn't think so either. Before I could stop him, he'd picked it up.

And absolutely nothing happened.

"See, harmless," he told everyone clearly as surprised as I was. "Here, Nina can you put it on that shelf."

I nodded and reached through a nasty cobweb to grab it from him. Just as I touched the surprisingly heavy foot-long figure, the odd yellow light I'd begun to associate with my Chosen One-ness, began circling Eddie and me. On an instinct, I called out, "Everyone grab on."

No one stopped to think and instead just did as I said. Six hands flew onto the statue just as the light completely encompassed us and then suddenly dissipated into nothingness.

"Well that was entirely anticlimactic," Eddie murmured upon noticing nothing had changed except the lights going out. Patricia, who was closest to the switch, flicked it on and we all marveled at the sight.

We were still in the study, but it looked very different. Instead of 75 years of dust only misplaced by us, there was the faintest trace of maybe 10 years of disuse. The place looked…younger, but of course it couldn't be younger. That would be insane. For the place to look younger, we'd have to have traveled back in time. Time travel didn't exist.

But neither did Chosen Ones and Osirans, did they?

"Let's go," Fabian decided pushing the button to release us from the study. I called for him to stop, but it was too late. He hadn't looked before and there, standing in front of us was Victor.

"What are you five doing down here?" he bellowed scrutinizing us intensely. "Who are you anyway, you don't live here!"

"Don't be silly," a terrified Amber balked. "Victor it's us."

"Amber," I whispered under my breath. "Just keep quite." She nodded, clearly concerned, but it was Eddie who spoke next.

"Viccy," he cried as if they were best friends while sliding his hand behind the man's back. "I can call you that, right?"

"No," he answered gruffly, and I realized who we will dealing with.

"You're Victor Rodenmaar Sr., right?" I inquired with a smile. "We're friends with you son. It was just a joke us coming down here. We'll leave right away."

Mr. Rodenmaar scowled, "Victor told you to come down here."

I went to say yes, but quickly remembered that this man wasn't the ghost I'd met. This was a man willing to hit his son to achieve eternal life. "No, of course not. He just said the house had a cellar and we thought it would be funny… We'll go now and never come back."

The man growled, but seemed content with the arrangement, "Get back to your own houses!" He called after us. "And you girls, have some decency and get out of those clothes! This is not a brothel I'm running!"

Amber and Patricia looked down self-consciously, but I didn't have time to explain. Dashing up the stairs, I exited the house quickly. So quickly, I accidentally ran into a young man with a newspaper.

"Can I see that for a second?"

"Of course, Miss," he answered with a smile handing it over. "Don't I know you?"

I should have realized then who this man was, but I was too enamored by the date on the top of the paper. Unable to believe what I read, I turned toward the rest of Sibuna to show them, "1st of January, 1932. I don't know how, but we seem to have traveled back in time…to Sarah's 18th birthday!"


	4. Chapter 4 House of Osirians

Two things before I begin, one, you guys literally made me cry when I woke up this morning to 10 reviews. WHY ARE YOU ALL SO PERFECT?

Secondly, sorry for not updating sooner as I promised many of you. I never expected it to take 6 hours to finish my cosplay for this weekend. (I'm going as Oswin from Doctor Who!)

On with the story you lovely people.

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Chapter 4

House of Osirians

"Something wrong?" the boy whom I'd gotten the paper from inquired. Shocked as I was, my eyes finally took him. Brown hair, muscular body, and ever so blue eyes…

Blue eyes I'd recognize until the day I died, "Rufus."

He perked up at his name, "Yes? Do I know you?"

The rest of Sibuna who'd heard me utter his name looked on the boy in shock. Patricia seemed ready to strangle him, understandably of course, but at the same time even she didn't move. This wasn't the evil Rufus we knew; this was a Rufus from long before he discovered the elixir. A Rufus who'd yet to do anything wrong at all.

"No, we haven't met but…" I stammered out in reply. "Look, this is probably going to sound completely insane, but…does the word Osirian mean anything to you?"

The friendliness that had originally been relayed from his face, quickly turned to a terrified anger, "What do you know about that?" Before I could reply, Rufus noticed the necklace beating against my chest and snatched it tight making me unable to breath. "Did you steal this from Sarah?"

"Let her go," Eddie rasped pushing Rufus away so the breath could re-enter my lungs. I prepared for a fight to break out, until a surprised, but amused Rufus began laughing.

Well, we did always know he was a bit batty.

"That…that shouldn't be possible," he mindlessly bumbled looking between Eddie and me. "But it's clear as day. You're a Chosen One…and he's your Osirian, isn't he?" I went to answer, but the boy cut me off, "No, there's no need to lie I can see it in his eye." Rufus offered me a hand, and reluctantly I let him pull me to my feet. "I'm very sorry, miss, I just can't always control it…well you must know having him around."

Oh. Rufus was Sarah's Osirian as Eddie was mine. They both had the instinct to protect us respectively, and would go to any length to do so. If Sarah and I ever actually got into a fight…it would probably be they who'd end up killing each other.

"I take it you know about the Osirian then," Fabian noted with a forced laugh.

Rufus nodded, "Of course, I've known for years. Robert, Sarah's father, explained it to us upon his return from Egypt. That's why he made my parents her legal guardian, so we could stay together."

"If you know things," Patricia began harshly, "then maybe you can help us."

Rufus bit his lip clearly thinking, "I'm assuming this has something to do with the impossible case of dual Chosen One's existing at once. Come, let's find Sarah and maybe we can figure this out."

No one said another word as we tentatively followed Rufus. While we all should have hated him, none of us could bring ourselves to associate this boy with the man who'd tried to kill us, twice. Young Rufus seemed so kind, so gently. He'd only hurt me before because of the Osirian thing, and Eddie had already kicked his butt for that. Maybe Rufus would grow to be evil, but this boy before us now certainly wasn't.

To no one's surprise, Rufus led us back towards Anubis house, which apparently was already the school. As we were about to enter, Fabian grabbed my arm holding me back, "Nina, this isn't right."

"Fabian he hasn't done anything yet…"

"Not the Rufus thing, because that's a whole other level of wrong, the time travel. It shouldn't be possible! The sheer number of paradoxes just this meeting with Rufus has created and we're lucky the Universe has yet to explode."

I didn't know much about time travel, but Alfie was obsessed enough with Doctor Who for me to know the basics. "Okay, maybe it's the muti-verse theory, right. Like there are millions of parallel universes all with something different. Maybe our memories are from a universe were we never went back in time and met young Rufus, but the statue brought us to a new Universe where we did go back in time. Now, when we get to the future, things will be different from what we remember and no one but us will ever know the other Universe existed."

"I love it when you talk nerdy to me," Fabian grinned and I lightly slapped him following the rest of our friends inside. In all reality, I had no idea what I said, but it sorta made sense so whatever. How this had happened didn't matter so much as how we were supposed to get home.

Victor Sr. seemed to be out, but I caught sight of our Victor as well as a few other students surrounding a radio in the common room. Wow. Seeing a young Rufus was weird, but realizing how little Victor had changed as he aged (or didn't age), was terrifying. He sat stiffly, afraid, but also like he owned the place. Actually, I wasn't sure who owned the place, but I wouldn't be surprised if in all reality it was the Rodenmaars. How else could Victor have secured his palace at Anubis house for so many years?

"Sarah," I heard Rufus rasp on my and Amber's room that was still Sarah's room now. (Time travel makes tenses confusing.) "It's me, Rufus. I have some people with me. We need to talk."

"Come in," a sweet voice called and my heart ached. Here I was, able to talk to Sarah again, and she wouldn't even know who I was.

I'd never really seen what everyone meant when they said we looked alike, but despite the coloring and cut of our hair, Sarah in I really could have been sisters. _I wonder if we were related. I guess it's not like you'll ever know now._

"Sarah, my name is Nina and these are my friends, Eddie, Patricia, Amber, and Fabian." I told the young girl smiling probably a bit too much.

"Your necklace, it's the same as mine," the young and astute girl recognized beckoning me closer. "How can that be? My parents made this necklace specifically for me."

Well, how better to get started on my insane explanation, "Well that's where the story gets weird. You gave me this necklace…or I guess you will give me this necklace. We're from the future, two thousand thirteen actually."

Rufus had known something was up, but he seemed more shocked than Sarah, "And is time travel a common thing to do in the future?"

"No, no it certainly isn't," Fabian muttered just loud enough for her to hear. "This is as weird for us as it probably is for you. We just touched this statue…"

"Statue?" Sarah interrupted looking concerned. "About a third of a meter long, looks like there is a narwhal on the girl's head." I nodded. "Oh, that is very not good."

"What's so bad about it," Rufus asked sitting down on the bed next to her. "I mean, what is it?"

"Something my parents should never have touched. It's a statue of Renpet, the time goddess, and I'm sorry to say but it only works once. There's no way for you to get home."

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dun dun duuuuuun. What do you guys think? Will Fabian and Eddie end up fighting in WWII? Will Patricia have to become a housewife? Find out soon!


	5. Chapter 5 House of Fashion

If anyone wants my undying gratitude and is good with art I'd kill for a good cover photo for this story.

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Chapter 5

House of Fashion

We were stuck.

I'd been in a lot of difficult situations the past few years, but there was always a solution at hand. I always had a task that once accomplished would lead me to my goal.

Now, there were no riddles to follow, no tasks to complete just sheer, hopeless, tragedy. We were stuck in 1932 and with my nonexistent luck I'd surely end up dead before I'd even been born.

"I'm sure there is some way of getting you all home," Rufus suggested with feigned hope. "We just need more time to figure it out. In my experience everything has a solution."

"Yeah, one that involves kidnapping me and my friends," Patricia murmered under her breath a bit too loud.

"Pardon?" a clearly confused Rufus asked stepping closer to the girl. (Who, without even realizing it, stepped away.) "I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?"

Fabian's voice squeaked as he lied, "Of course not! It's just a bit stressful that's odd."

"Look on the bright side," Sarah suggested with a weak smile. "1932 will surely be the year the depression ends and then everything will be good again."

"Except for the world war," Amber, who could sometimes be so blonde. "I mean doesn't Hitler start killing everyone who doesn't look like me in a few years? Doesn't he know we can't all be this perfect?"

Fabian smiled patronizingly as he covered the girl's mouth quickly, "You know, Amber, I think we should really be careful with what we say. After all, we don't want to mess with the time lines and tell people things they shouldn't know."

"There's going to be another war," Sarah replied shocked. "But the war to end all wars…"

"Is only the start of a series of more," Patricia finished. Fabian, Eddie and I flashed her a look, but the girl only shrugged, "What? Amber already told them about World War two, it's not like it's that big of a deal."

Maybe it didn't seem like a big deal back when the deed was long done, but if we really were stuck in the past we'd have to live through it. Eddie and Fabian could end up enlisted; they could end up dead! We all could for Christ's sake!

"Yacker, it kind of is a big deal," a flinching Eddie chastised fondly of his girlfriend. "We all are going to need to be careful with what we say and do. We need to blend in."

Rufus gave us a once over before speaking again, "The first thing we need to do is make you guys look like you're from around here. The sheer idea of woman wearing pants or even wearing a skirt as short as Amber's is insane!"

"I'm sure I have something that will fit the girls if you can find Fabian and Eddie something, Rufus," Sarah suggested already rifling through her closet.

Patricia looked at the dainty floral dress Sarah had handed her and gaped, "I'm not wearing this. No way."

"We can go and buy you something new later, but you can wear it for now," Sarah replied clearly not understanding that Patricia probably couldn't even remember the last time she'd worn a dress. "You're lucky that you showed up now. Today is my 18th birthday and I finally am inheriting my parent's fortune…to bad Mr. Rodenmaar has already stolen my house."

Patricia didn't seem to care about the other girl's problems, she was still to shocked by the concept of wearing a dress, "No way. I'm not doing it."

"Well I think they're cute," Amber cried looking at her suitably pink outfit. "It's so…vintage." Leave it to Amber to make us laugh despite everything. "What?" she asked self-consciously.

"We're in 1932 Amber," Fabian reminded her. "Everything here is vintage."

The girl grinned clearly embarrassed, "Oh. Right…sorry." The girl disappeared quickly to change and of course came back looking like an early movie star. Once she was gone I pulled Patricia with me to go get changed.

"I'm not doing it Nina," she protested almost pitifully. "I don't do dresses."

I could only shake my head; dresses weren't my first choice either. None of this was my first choice, "Look, Patricia, we're going to find a way home, but for now we need to blend in. You can't do that wearing leather, I'm sorry."

"I'll look ridiculous," the whined and I only rolled my eyes. I'd pulled on the blue lacey dress Sarah had supplied me and looked very out of place. Still, this was what had to be done, so Patricia finally gave in.

"See," I told her shocked by how different she looked. "It looks nice."

"I look like a dork."

"Ahh, but you look like a pretty dork," I told her with a smile as we went back to meet the others. When we walked back into Sarah's room the already dressed boys were discussing a plan.

"Sarah was just saying the depression has assured the school has plenty of openings," a (incredibly handsome) and suited Fabian explained upon noticing us. "We can probably even get beds here at Anubis house."

"I should warn you though," Rufus interjected looking pleased by his work. "Mr. Rodenmaar is very strict. Every night at 10 o'clock…" We'd burst into giggles at this point stopping the baffled boy. "What? Is there something on my shirt."

"No it's just," Fabian began with tears in his eyes. "We know what he's like quite well."

Sarah seemed disturbed by his words, "Is he still around in your time? Why that's impossible unless…does he find the Cup?"

Our laughing ended quickly as we remembered just how strange a group we were. "No it's not that," I assured her quickly. "Victor Sr. dies within the year it's… I probably shouldn't say actually."

Rufus and Sarah nodded as if they understood that sometimes need-to-know was necessary. I wasn't quite sure if telling of the future could help us change it yet, and until I was…well I didn't want to live the rest of my life feeling responsible for the way they turned out. If I said something that caused Rufus to turn out how he did I'd probably never forgive myself.

"Let's go and see about getting you enrolled, aye?" Rufus suggested to change the topic. Nodding in agreement we followed him out, but Sarah stopped me.

"I gave you that necklace, which means we know each other in your time, but I've done the math. I'd be 98 by 2013 and I can't imagine a cursed woman like me living that long naturally. The Cup, it's assembled, isn't it?"

I wasn't going to lie to her, as much as I wanted to, "Yes, but it wasn't you. I assembled the cup only last year."

I didn't know why, but Sarah seemed remarkably relieved. "So I didn't drink from it?" I shook my head. "And I never…I never used Elixir, right?"

"No, you never took it. Why, why does it matter?" Sure the Cup would have been bad for her to use considering it took a life, but was using elixir so bad?

Sarah seemed to think it was, and once she spoke I understood why. Actually, once she spoke I understood a lot of things, "The Elixir of life is not meant to be drunk by the Chosen One or Osirian. Our deaths are preordained by our patrons, who are both death gods. It's said that any Chosen One or Osirian, the Servants as they're called, who drink the Elixir of life will go mad. Our tears are the most important ingredient, but they are poison to our souls."


	6. Chapter 6 House of Destiny

Chapter 6

House of Destiny

It took forever to get everything settled, but by the end of the day, we all had our own rooms at Anubis house. (Eddie got stuck with Rufus while Fabian had Victor. Oh how I was looking forward to this.) The whole time we lied and filled out paperwork my mind repeated Sarah's words. Why did she know the dangers of the Elixir and not Rufus? Or did Rufus know when he took it and just didn't care? I couldn't imagine he'd have wanted to go mad, but it just made so little sense.

Why were we here? If this goddess, Renpet wanted something from me why didn't she just ask? Or did she just want to mess with us? I didn't know, but I felt like this wasn't the end. I couldn't accept we were stuck here. What would Joy, Jerome, Alfie, and Mara think when they awoke in the morning to find us gone. And who would have to tell Gran I was missing? She's never survive the news.

_Maybe I can do the TV thing where they write a letter and get someone to deliver it on the day we left. I could send a note to Gran explaining everything; at least then she'd know I was safe. _

No. I wasn't going to find someone to deliver a letter to the future. I was going to make my way back. We all had lives and families to get back to and I was not living through the 20th century. I knew enough history to remember it didn't really ever get better.

"You know you're complaining the least," Sarah, whom I'd ended up being roommates with, noted. "But I think you're the most upset. What's wrong?"

How could I even make her understand without giving spoilers? "I just can't imagine knowing that something terrible is going to happen and not be able to change it. Like Fabian may be the history buff but I know what day the wars start on, what days the most people die. I know how you and Rufus' stories end and I just can't sit here and let it happen. I need to change it."

"Then change it," Sarah told me like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "If something is destined to happen it will no matter what. There's no harm in you trying to change what you can. Will you be able to stop the wars, probably not, but if there's something in Rufus and my future that's bothering you…something that you can change. Make whatever difference you can Nina, or I think we'll both live to regret it."

Change things? I'd never even considered it a possibility. Surely you can't change the future, right? _But you already have. Rufus will have to recognize you now, so that's already changed. You can at least try._

"Maybe you're right," I conceded with a smile. "Maybe I can change things, but I need to figure out how."

Sarah came and sat next to me on the bed, "What is it you want to change?"

I wanted to make it so Sarah didn't die, Rufus didn't become evil, and Victor wasn't so cruel, but I couldn't exactly tell her that, "I'm not exactly sure. But I'll talk to the others tonight and we can figure something out."

Sarah nodded clearly understanding my reluctance to tell everything. (But not believing me for one second when I lied to her.) "Just make sure you talk before ten. After that Mr. Rodenmaar will have your head."

"We can just sneak out," I told the girl not thinking much of it. "Our caretaker is quite a bit like Mr. Rodenmaar and we've managed well."

"You sneak out after curfew!" Sarah exclaimed and I realized to her that must seem wild. People, girls especially, were much more subdued in these days, weren't they? "How wicked."

I shook my head, "It's really no big deal. Tonight I think it should be just us so we have a chance to talk, but you can probably come down to the tunnels with us any night."

"The tunnels?" a confused Sarah repeated and I realized she had no idea. Maybe she knew she was the Chosen One, but really Sarah was more clueless than me. Wow. The once wise teller was now the student.

"Your father built a series of tunnels beneath the school. At the end is a fake Mask of Anubis," I explained hoping that the information wasn't something I should have kept to myself. "They're still armed right now, but we've done the tasks once. It shouldn't be too hard the second time."

Sarah had tuned out after I said 'Mask of Anubis', "You found the mask? What else did you do, assemble the Cup." I knew I shouldn't tell her this one, but from the way I bit my lip she caught on quickly. "You found the cup pieces? You broke the curse."

I'd completely forgotten of how Sarah was cursed. Maybe our first order of business should be to assemble the cup and hide it so Victor's little organization would have nothing to strive for and Sarah's parents could go to the Afterlife now. I'd have to talk to the others about it, but it seemed do able. The Cup couldn't be assembled for another four years, but if we found the pieces now it would be easy when the day came. It wasn't like, we had a shortage of Chosen Ones now did we?

A woman's voice called from downstairs that it was supper time, so Sarah smiled, "Come on. It's about time you meet Patricia and Amber's other roommate as well as Victor Rodenmaar JR."

Right. Time to meet Victor. "Sarah, are you and Victor…an item?"

The girl seemed at first confused by my modern terminology, but the blushing said she figured it out quickly. "No, of course not. We're not even very good friends though he is with Rufus. Actually, I'm dating Rufus."

What? I'd known Chosen Ones and Osirians could be close but Sarah and Rufus? It was half insane and half creepy.

"He's a good man," Sarah told me and I almost wanted to laugh. I'd never known Rufus to be a good man, but maybe that's why I was here. Maybe it was my job to make sure Rufus stayed a good man and Victor too while I was at it.


	7. Chapter 7 House of Souffle

Take a short, fluffy chapter that really got away from me and became one walking reference. 10 points if you get it.

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Chapter 7

House of Souffle

"It is a bit weird though," Clara, the other roommate of Amber and Patricia, noted over dinner. "The five of you all showing up at once, especially with only a month left in the semester. How'd that happen?"

Fabian looked nervous as he spooned the cheese soufflé in his mouth before speaking, "Oh well our last academy closed from lack of admission. Nina knew of Frobisher so we came here."

"Nina's my cousin," Sarah lied much to my shock. (Though it was probably a good way to explain how similar we looked.) "So when she wrote and said her school was closing."

Now Clara looked really suspicious, "I thought you didn't have any family, Sarah? Isn't that why Mr. and Mrs. Zeno are your guardians?"

"My parents are dead too," I admitted because it wasn't actually a lie. "I lived with my Gran, who isn't related to Sarah so…"

Clara nodded as if everything made sense. "My mother's gone," she commented in an attempt at sympathizing. "Died when I was 16 and then my dad sent me here to Frobisher. Victor, whatever happened to your mother?"

"Died during childbirth," the boy coughed and I noticed the big difference between young Victor and the one I knew; this one was only pretending to be stuffy. "I guess this is just the place for those of us with dead families."

Yeah. Lots of orphans sitting at one table; that's for sure. "So, Clara, what do you like to do?" What? If I was going to be stuck here I might as well be friendly.

"Bake soufflé mostly," the girl admitted spooning hers. "My mum taught me how but I can never get it quite right. This one is amazing though Mrs. R." Mrs. R was the current Trudy, but much colder. She cooked and cleaned, but didn't appear to provide the love that our housemother did. (And that extra love was always what made Trudy's food so delicious.)

"Thank you Clara," the housemother acknowledged from the kitchen. "It was one of your mom's recipes you gave me. 'The soufflé isn't the soufflé, the soufflé is the recipe.'" It was clear the woman was quoting from the way she said the last line. Apparently, the short brunette Clara really liked her soufflé.

"Mrs. R," Rufus called as he got up from the table to help with the dishes. "Would it be alright if Sarah and I showed Nina, Eddie, Fabian, Patricia and Amber the local shops tomorrow?"

Mrs. R didn't seem to like the idea of us all going out, but she curtly nodded, "Yes, since it's a Saturday I think that will be alright. Just make sure you're back in time for curfew."

"Can I come?" Victor inquired shocking us all. I'd never imagined Victor wanting to go shopping, but I think he probably just didn't want to be alone with his father. Mr. Rodenmaar was a stickler for tough love, and tough love in 1932 is child abuse in 2013.

Rufus clearly didn't like the idea, but he shrugged, "Sure. Clara, want to come too?"

The girl shook her head, "I'll walk with you into town, but I have a few things of my own to attend to."

Eddie leaned over to Patricia and spoke a bit too loud, "Now I'd know that in any time. She's got a date."

The girl's round face burnt red, "I do not. I just have to be somewhere tomorrow and it's none of your business."

Eddie shrugged and we went back to cleaning up. Having lived through two days without sleeping, I went up to get some rest before our trip into the cellar later that night.

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So yeah, no substance at all, but I needed a bit of filler and I felt like writing some Clara. There actually is one thing in this chapter that should matter in a month when I'm done with this story but you can forget until then. :)


	8. Chapter 8 House of Futures

If this chapter feels choppy, sorry. I wrote half last night and half right now.

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Chapter 8

House of Futures

Patricia crept into my room to wake me up far too soon after my head hit the pillow. All I wanted to do was roll over and sleep, but as that wasn't an option. I quickly dressed and followed her past a sleeping Mr. Rodenmaar into the kitchen. (It appears Victor learned to forget about his bed in favor of the office from his father.) Pressing the necklace to the door, I sighed in relief when it opened. If being out of time had somehow negated the necklace or my abilities things probably would have gotten very bad, very fast.

The cellar looked just as it did earlier in the day when we arrived, but I noticed the layer of dust around the fake bookshelf had been disrupted. Mr. Rodenmaar clearly wanted to know why we'd been over there before. At least that meant he didn't know about the tunnels and the supposed Mask at the end. He'd die looking for it if I didn't stop him, and at the moment I didn't exactly feel like saving anyone.

We decided to have our Sibuna meeting in Frobisher's office just in case someone came down. As Amber tried to clean off the seat enough for her to sit, I studied the statue. "Renpet, goddess of time and aspect of Isis," Fabian explained upon noticing my actions. "Her name itself means year."

"Fun fact," Patricia snarked. "But that doesn't help us get home. This place sucks."

Yeah, I had to admit it did. No TV, no computers, no family…I just wanted to go back to 2013 and relish in the splendor that is(will be?) modern (Future?) life. No, actually, I just wanted not to be the Chosen One destined to always end up in bad situations.

"I wonder if they're worried about us," Amber sighed drawing in the dust. "Alfie must be so worried about me."

Alfie was probably worried about us all, "They could not be missing us at all. Maybe we do get home to the moment we left and no one is any the wiser."

"Nice thought," Eddie noted with a laugh. "But we still don't know how we're going to get home."

No, no we didn't. "Look," I suggested drawing my feet up onto the chair with me. "I'm sure a way home will appear when we do whatever Renpet sent us here to do."

"Well that's all right and dandy, except we don't know what Renpet wants," Patricia reminded harshly. Sure, she had a right to be annoyed, but we were all stuck here. She didn't need to be so…so…Patricia about it.

"I think she wants us to change things," I admitted cautiously. "Change…people."

No one needed to clarify whom I meant, but Amber did anyway, "Rufus? Do you mean keep him from going evil? I don't think that's possible."

"Sarah said that it was drinking the Elixir that made him crazy," I explained before seeing their horrified faces. "I didn't tell her anything, don't worry, she just wanted me to know I guess. Apparently Servants have a certain day we're destined to die and by trying to avoid it we mess with the Universe or something?"

Eddie seemed confused, "Servants?"

Right. I hadn't known the term either until Sarah used it today, "You and me, Sarah and Rufus, the Chosen One and the Osirian etcetera."

"Oh," he nodded. "So we don't touch the Elixir. Good to know. So you think Renpet sent us back here to make sure Rufus never goes mad? Can't we just tell him then what will happen and go home?"

If only it was that simple, "He must have known when he drank it that there would be ill effects. No, I think we need to change his whole way of thinking, Victor's too while we're at it. Make them see that growing old and dying isn't such a horrible thing."

"But it is," Amber shivered. "I've been old; you feel terrible. I don't blame them for wanting to avoid it."

Okay, so apparently Amber and I needed to have a chat some time soon. I'd have brought it up now, but Fabian spoke up, "Rufus was never trying to avoid growing old though. He just wanted to avoid death. Maybe we tell him he ends up dead anyway."

"Oh yeah," Patricia sarcastically interrupted, "Hey, Rufus, just thought you should know in the future you kidnapped and tried to kill us. So then your oldest friend made sure you die. If he doesn't attack us on the spot he won't believe us."

Patricia was right, burdening Rufus with his alternate-self's crimes would only lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. "No," I told them shaking my head. "We have to agree here and now not to tell any of them anything about the versions of them we know. Don't plant the thought in their head and maybe they'll never have it. We've already changed things, maybe we've done enough to save them."

"But we're no closer to getting home," Fabian pointed out as he drew us back to our original topic. "So we either haven't done enough or that's not what Renpet wants."

Eddie looked grave when he spoke, "Maybe she doesn't want anything. Maybe none of this was planned and we're just stuck here."

"I doubt that," I admitted with a sigh. "Eddie, you and I are different. Everything in our life is part of some plan we can't see. I mean if Sarah is right Osiris and Anubis have already picked how and when we die! This isn't an accident which means someone caused it. And if someone caused it someone can reverse it."

"So we just go about our lives and hope some answers drop in our lap?" Amber cried moving to sit next to me. "How are we supposed to live like this?"

With difficulty. "We have to adjust," Fabian answered for me. "We go shopping tomorrow, continue our education here, and hope for answers. Sooner or later we'll end up with a riddle in our lap. That's the Sibuna way."

We sat in silence for a moment until I finally drew the courage to speak, "Speaking of riddles do you guys remember where we found each of the cup pieces? I think if we collect them now and assemble the cup 75 years early it will help both Sarah and Rufus."

Fabian nodded, "I think your right. I mean if the Cup is already assembled Victor doesn't need to make his society. We just need to make sure he knows someone dies for someone to live. He made the right choice before; he'll surely make the same one now."

"No Cup no need for Elixir," I reminded them smiling. "I can't think of anything that could make a bigger change."

"But will the change be all good?' Eddie asked his eyes shifting warily. "I mean the butterfly effect, right? From what you've told me Victor and Rufus dedicated their lives to living forever. If they're not striving for that, what will they dedicate their efforts to? Will it really be something better?"

I didn't know, but I did know one thing, "Could it possibly be something worse?"


	9. Chapter 9 House of Dreams

Let us all take a moment to appreciate the 67 wonderful people who read the last chapter. You are all absolutely fantastic and I just love you so much. GROUP HUG!

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Chapter 9

House of Dreams

"You'll have to show me these tunnels sometime," Sarah, who'd been sitting in bed waiting for me to return, whispered upon my arrival. "There's so much about my parents lives that I never knew… They never told me where they hid the Ankh pieces or why they even stole it."

Why did they steal it? The Frobishers didn't seem like the insane type, so why would they want to live forever? "Maybe they had no idea what they were taking. Maybe they only knew that the pieces needed to come to you." She was the Chosen One after all. I'd been drawn to Anubis house so I could assemble the Cup. Maybe in Sarah's case it was the Cup that had to do the moving.

"Why are we the Chosen One's Nina? Do you even know?"

Wow. For once I knew something Sarah didn't about our shared destiny, "Our ancestor, Amnertis, she broke the Cup and Anubis made it so only her decedents could re-assemble it. I guess when he decided to give a girl some magical powers to deal with other Egyptian stuff he figured it was easiest to make them the same girl."

"I wish that girl wasn't me," Sarah confessed slouching down under the covers. She turned on her side so we were looking each other in the eye, and I laughed. "What? What's so funny?"

"It's not that it's funny it's just…I was thinking about all the people who'd kill to have abilities and here we both do and... and we'd give them up without a second thought." Sure, books made magical abilities seem nice, but when those abilities came with people trying to kill you, it quickly stops being fun.

Sarah started giggling too, and we quickly enough both erupted into a fit of laughter. Really, there was nothing funny at all, but I just couldn't stop laughing. I stuck my face into the pillow in hope I'd be quite enough for Mr. Rodenmaar not to awake, and Sarah did the same. Still, it was a few minutes before either of us felt in control enough to lift our faces. "I haven't laughed like that in a very long time," Sarah admitted with a gleeful smile. "Thank you, Nina. Thank you for reminding me of what it feels like to laugh."

"It's okay to be happy," I explained to a shocked face. "I mean you're always going to be a little sad over your parents' deaths, but you don't need to let that sadness rule your life. In a few months, you can leave this place and live a full, happy life. It's what your parents would want for you, or at least I know it's what mine would have wanted."

Sarah seemed shocked to discover my little lie at dinner hadn't been much of a lie at all, "Your parents aren't waiting for you back in 2013?"

"No," I admitted sadly, "They died when I was very young. You're lucky; at least you will always remember your parents. All I have is this laugh, my mother's I think. It's a honey and chocolate kind of laugh, you know? The sweetest laugh you've ever heard. Whenever I see something that makes me miss my parents, I think of that one laugh and I'm okay."

Sarah's smile looked weak through the shadows, but her voice sounded strong. "My mom wasn't much of a laugher, but my dad had this belly laugh. I'll never forget it."

"No," I told her a genuine smile creeping up my face. "I don't think you will. Goodnight, Sarah."

"Goodnight, Nina. Sweet dreams."

I did dream, but sweet they were not.

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes in the dream, were the cold shackles holding me up. My shoulders ached as if they'd been in this position for a while, and my feet just barely touched the ground. My position wasn't meant to kill, but something told me the struggle for each breath was intentional.

Sarah stood beside me in a very similar position, but our captors must not have realized how exceptionally tall she was for a woman. At almost six feet, Sarah easily stood on the ground and had to twist her shoulders so they didn't pop out. I went to ask her what was going on, but a creaking door opened distracting me. Two masked men rolled in figures I quickly identified as Rufus and Eddie. They'd were withstrained by straight-jackets and chains, but the men bolted down their chart-cages before turning back to the door. Before leaving, one of them, a man by the sound of his voice, spoke, "Play innocent all you want, but we know you have what we're looking for. We're both looking for the same thing: justice for all men. Soon enough you'll see that. Then, you can help us, and we'll help you get home. 81 years is a long time to wait, not that it matters. I think the four of you are all intelligent enough to realize our window of opportunity closes very soon, and after that you're useless. You can die the malicious gods' Servants, or live as this worlds hero and master. The choice is yours, but if you're going to make the right one I'd make it soon. Miss Martin doesn't look like she'll last much longer, does she Eddie? If you really care about protecting her you'd just answer my questions."

"Go to Hell," I spit at him breathlessly, but to my dismay he only laughed.

"There is no Hell, only oblivion, and I won't rest until every guilty soul is purged from this earth and sent there."


	10. Chapter 10 House of Butterflies

Over 1.2K views! (::) Chocolate chip cookies for you all! Also, I probably won't be updating tomorrow because I'm going to my first convention AND MEETING JOHN BARROWMAN!

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Chapter 10

House of Butterflies

My breathing was ragged as I shot awake, and I wasn't the only one. Sarah sat hunched over on her bed coughing with each breath. I moved to go help her, but before I could Rufus and Eddie plowed into the room. Sarah barely looked into her boyfriend's eyes as he came and sat with her.

"We all saw it, didn't we?" Rufus confirmed as he mindlessly rubbed Sarah's leg.

I nodded, "It was so…real. I felt like I was actually there."

"But you weren't," Eddie reminded moving in closer. "None of us were. It was just a dream."

Despite the insanity, I laughed, "Oh yeah. Because it's completely normal for four people to share the exact same dream."

"It wasn't the same dream though," Sarah shivered looking between us. "I mean I was in my body, and I'm assuming you guys were too." Our universal nod proved her correct. "So it wasn't a dream at all. It was a vision. That's going to happen, just not this very moment."

Sometimes I forgot that of all of us, Eddie was the newest, "So visions and dreams of the future. That common for you guys?"

Sarah and Rufus shook their head, but I had to speak up, "It's happened to me once before. I saw myself fall into the chasm in the tunnels, but that dream was Senkara induced. It also didn't come true. This is probably just someone or something messing with our minds."

"It's a good enough theory," Rufus admitted with a shrug and piecing glare. "But the question is who is this someone?"

Nobody spoke up because none of us knew. Not yet at least.

"You guys better go back to your rooms," I pointedly suggested of the boys. "If Mr. Rodenmaar finds you in here…"

"He will be quite furious," a familiar yet untested voice growled as the door swung open. "This is the kind of behavior I may have expected of you Mr. Miller with your lacking attitude, but you Mr. Zeno? I expected better from you. Still, if you four wish to be up at such an early hour who am I to stop you? Get dressed, all of you, NOW! Then report to my office for your punishment."

Mr. Rodenmaar quickly exited and Eddie and Rufus followed him out to get changed. I sighed, and turned on the light while Sarah worked to find me another dress. As she shuffled through the closet, a wave of nausea fell over me. "Oh my gods. He's going to hit us, isn't he? That's still legal! I'm going to get beaten in 1932!"

"Shhh," Sarah told me as she tossed over a yellow dress. "It's okay, remember? You're successfully dealing."

"I was!" I cried probably a bit too loud. "Until I was about to be beat, 63 years before I was born!" _How could this possibly be happening to me? _I wondered my breathing ragged. _How did my life come to be so screwed?_

"Nina, listen to me," Sarah demanded grabbing my shaking shoulders. "You need to keep it together. They look to you as their leader; you can't break down."

But I needed to break down. I needed to fall on my bed and cry and scream because doesn't a girl deserve that sometimes? I was so out of my depth, yet they all expected me just to stay calm and collected. How did I stay calm and collected in 1932?

"Nina!" Sarah cried shaking me. "Snap out of it before Eddie comes back in here and gets in more trouble."

"Why…why would Eddie come back in here?" I was in no danger, why would he come?

Sarah shook her head, "You know so much about some things and so little about others. How do you think the Osirian knows when we need protecting? When we get just a bit too upset, or happy, or anything really they feel it too. Extreme emotions set them off like oil in a fire. So unless you want Eddie knowing what we both do then get your act together!"

My breathing was still rough, but Sarah's words did the trick. For some reason, I didn't mind Sarah seeing me like this, but Eddie could never know. The rest of Sibuna needed to continue to believe I was completely in control of the situation. Otherwise, they might lose it too. "What do we both know?" I asked more testing my even voice than looking for an answer.

"That you're just a girl, even if you're a Chosen One," she answered with a smile. Offering a hand to help me from the ground, Sarah spoke again, "Come on. If we keep Mr. Rodenmaar waiting it will only be worse."

Right he'd only beat us twice as much.

"And Nina, he's not going to beat us." Wait what? "I mean yeah, he's going to hit Rufus and Eddie and it's going to be horrible, but he hasn't whipped me since I was a little girl no matter the offence."

For some reason, I laughed, "Hello, he's probably afraid of Rufus beating him silly. Forget Osirian, he seems like any other protective boyfriend."

Sarah smiled, "Yeah, he's good to me. He's going to propose you know. I was in his room the other day and saw the ring. I think he planned on doing it yesterday, but then you guys showed up and… Even if he had still asked, I probably would have said no though."

"Really? You seem to love him so much. Why would you not want to marry him?" Every look, every touch, it reminded me of what I had with Fabian. If he was to ask me today I'd probably be foolish enough to say yes. What was so different for Sarah and Rufus?

The girl sighed, "I do want to marry him. I want to marry him very much, but then I look at you five. You don't have to say anything for me to deduce the future; I can see it in your eyes. Patricia's especially. There's this look she gives him, and it terrifies me. Because she knows him, you all do, and you don't like him one bit, but for Patricia it's different. Eddie seems to hate him, but Patricia's terrified of him. How could I marry a man who'll someday strike such fear in anyone's heart?"

Oh gods, what had us coming back done? "Listen to me Sarah, and listen well. Time is fluid; we've already begun changing it. You're right, the Rufus we've met was not a good man, but the one waiting for us in that office is. He loves you and you adore him. The Rufus I knew was one without the guidance of a loving woman and I think that is what made the difference."

"You think I should marry him then?" the shell-shocked girl inquired. "If I get the option."

Maybe it made me a selfish person to council her as such, but I needed to make whatever good changes I can. "I think you need to make sure you have the option. There was no one to stop the Rufus I knew, so now there needs to be you."


	11. Chapter 11 House of Suspicion

So sorry for not updating! I had the convention Sunday and then was really upset after work yesterday. (Long story). Any who, I'm back now and should be updating everyday this week. IDK I'm getting my permit tomorrow and I don't know how long the DMV will take. Sigh. Sorry, I'm rambling (what's new) on with the tale.

GUYS DID YOU KNOW APPARENTLY THERE IS AN OFFICIAL NAME FOR THE SCHOOL? GOSH IGNORE ALL FORMER REFERENCE TO FROBISHER ACADEMY THE SCHOOL IS CALLED AMUN BOARDING SCHOOL AND I'M AN IDIOT.

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Chapter 11

House of Suspition

Rufus and Eddie already stood anxiously in Mr. Rodenmaar's office when Sarah and I arrived. Mr. Rodenmaar stood paddle in hand and I cringed thinking of the barbaric treatment. Still, I had to keep my mouth shut. Me speaking up would lead to nothing good.

And I kept my head until Mr. Rodenmaar made Rufus turn around, then, I just couldn't let the injustice slide, "What kind of horrible monster are you beating people? I don't see what the difference is between paddling and abuse except one is illegal!"

"Nina don't," Eddie warned, but I wasn't going to listen. He may be my protector, but this time I was saving his butt (quite literally).

"No! It's ridiculous and cruel and I won't stand by and watch it."

Mr. Rodenmaar gave me a look before stepping closer to Sarah and me, "How dare you speak to me in that way. How about I give you his smacks then and we're done with it."

I would have probably accepted the abuse in Eddie's place, but he wasn't hearing of it. The primal Osirian instinct quickly flared up as Eddie twisted the old man's arm knocking the paddle from Mr. Rodenmaar's hand. With a shrug, Rufus picked up the weapon and snapped it in half right over his knee.

Mr. Rodenmaar's eyes flamed, but I think he had some idea what he was dealing with. After all, he knew about Rufus and Sarah's identities and Eddie's actions were incredibly Osirian like. "Very well then, since you chose not to face your punishment I will supply a new one. You four will scrub every toilet in this academy…with a toothbrush. Now get out of my sight!"

Pleased that we'd gotten away with only the usual Rodenmaar punishment, I turned on my heels to follow my quick-footed friends from the room. Just as I went to go, Mr. Rodenmaar spoke, "Not you Miss Martin. I'd like a word." Eddie teetered in the doorway not as my Osirian, but as my friend, so I nodded it would be okay. Reluctantly he followed Sarah and Rufus out leaving me alone with Mr. Rodenmaar.

As my eyes scanned his body, I couldn't get over how much he looked like his son. (Or I guess his son looked like him, but whatever.) Even more startling, however, was how different he looked from the ghost version of him I met beneath the Senet board. I guess that would be because the ghost had already lost everything, but the living man thought he had nothing to lose.

"That necklace you're wearing, where did you get it?" The man inquired shutting the door so we were completely cut off from the others.

Instinctively, my hand flew to the locket that had come out from its hiding place beneath the dress, "Um. Sarah gave it to me." Actually not a lie.

"Hmm, but it's not hers. She still has her copy. Funny, I always thought it was one of a kind," the man mused sitting down at his desk and motioning for me to do the same. I practically jumped in the chair as I nervously spoke.

"Two of a kind I guess. Uncle Robert shipped it to me in America, where I live with my Gran, I didn't even know Sarah had one 'till I arrived. We'd never actually met. Planes don't exactly like making the trip so I had to take a boat and it was a long trip."

Mr. Rodenmaar made that weird noise of disbelieving acceptance, "Yes, yes. I see. I'd still like to know what you and your friends were doing in the basement yesterday when you weren't even registered yet."

"Um, well we knew we were going to be registered," I gulped my nervous fingers playing with the tips of my hair. "And we were dared to go down so…"

"I see," the man gruffly replied tidying his incessantly neat desk. "Just one more question for you: what do you know of your cousin's destiny?"

I tried to put on my best shocked face, but really I'm no actress. "I…I don't think I know what you're talking about," I lied with a smile before becoming an idiot and speaking period-ly. "No man has a destiny only a plan in the eyes of God."

Mr. Rodenmaar's laugh matched his son's gruff one perfectly, "Yes, God, of course. Are you Christian then, Miss Martin?" I nodded because what else was I going to say after my little outburst? "Of course you are. What is your Christian name then since there's no saint Nina?"

"Evelyn," I lied quickly thinking of my Gran (and praying to a God I don't believe in that that was indeed a saint's name. Soon as I spoke, I realized it had been a trick. There was a saint Nina after all, and Mr. Rodenmaar had just fooled me.

"Just as I thought," he mused with a sweet smile. "So tell me, Miss Martin, if that even is your real name, what are you really doing at this school?"

I sighed as if pretending to drop the act (all the while creating a new one.) "Look, I can't say much, you know how things are. I've known Sarah for years, and when my parents died she suggested I come here to get away from America. Things are different there…what I know, what we know, is not so well received."

"And what do you know," Mr. Rodenmaar asked suspiciously leaning forward in his chair.

I laughed while I shrugged, "Not as much as you're hoping. I know in four years and every 25 years after that Sarah has the opportunity to re-assemble the Cup of Ankh. I know that no one has any idea where the cup is, and I know the use of the cup will result in the death of an innocent. Now, Mr. Rodenmaar, what do you know?"

I hoped for a condescending laugh, but instead I received a hard glare, "I know that if you repeat a word of this conversation I'll handpick the 'innocent' from your little group of friends. Now go."

I didn't look at the borderline-evil man as I disappeared from the office sweat sticking to my back. Boy were we in trouble, and it was all my fault.

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Anyone else feel like Victor Rodenmaar Sr. was always a bit darker than his son? I feel like he'd go to much greater lengths to be immortal. Also, sorry if Nina is a bit out of character, but it doesn't matter how much I write her i just can't get her voice to stick in my head. In this chapter she probably sounds like Buffy because that's all I've been watching. Hey, they're both Chosen Ones so maybe it's not that off. Gosh I need sleep so I'll stop talking. Hope you enjoyed!


	12. Chapter 12 House of Suspicion, Jr

Chapter 12

House of Suspicion, Jr.

"Everything okay?" Eddie inquired looking up when I entered the kitchen. Here I was, the moment of decision, and I just nodded. Yeah, Mr. Rodenmaar scared me. I didn't know just how far he'd go, but I did know I didn't want to be one to find out.

"Yeah, he just wanted a word with me about backtalk. I have to clean a few more things than toilets, but no big deal." I lied with a smile. Stepping into the kitchen, I helped Mrs. R cook breakfast so I didn't have to look my friends in the eye. Soon enough, the rest of the house awoke and we escaped the house to go shopping. Unfortunately, we only escaped the house.

"So how did you guys all end up here with no clothes?" Victor prodded as we walking into town.

Fabian flashed me a *why is he here* look before lying to the boy, "The train we took lost all the luggage. Real pain if you know what I mean."

Victor nodded, despite probably having no idea what Fabian meant. "And Nina. You're Sarah's cousin, correct."

"Yup," I replied popping the 'p' and moving closer to my boyfriend so I could get farther away from the boy.

Victor nodded, "That's so weird, you know, considering I know as a fact neither Robert nor Louisa had any siblings."

Well crapidy, crap, crap. Houston, we had a problem. All of us stood awkwardly unsure how to respond. Finally, I ushered everyone else into one of the boutiques and grabbed Victor's arm, "I think it would be wise if you maybe forgot about things that don't concern you."

"You live in my house," Victor reminded. "I deserve to know who you really are. I won't tell my dad; I promise."

He seemed to mean it, but I just didn't feel right telling him the full truth. It really wasn't my truth to tell. Still, there was nothing stopping me from giving him my piece of the puzzle. (Well, there were actually two highly protective boys who'd stop me. But they were both inside unaware of what I was doing, so they don't count.)

"You see this necklace?" I pulled the locket from beneath my dress so he knew exactly what I meant. "You recognize it, correct.

Victor nodded, "Of course. Sarah has a matching one…it's the Eye of Horus the mark of the Servants."

Did everyone but the Servants of my time know this fancy name? "It doesn't just mark the Servants. Robert Frobisher-Smyth designed his house so only his daughter, who he gave this locket to, could access certain areas. I think he hoped it would help protect Sarah and the Cup once he was gone."

"How do you have one then?" the boy asked suspiciously bending down to get a closer look. (And I'm going to keep telling myself he was looking at the necklace because imagining Victor looking at my chest for any other reason was highly disturbing.

I sighed peering into the store at my friends who'd already begun trying on clothes. (Amber looked like a kid in a candy store.) "It's a long story and not something I'm in any position to tell."

I was surprised, but Victor nodded as if he understood only telling your own secrets, "I'm going to go out on a limb though and say it doesn't just work for Sarah. It works for you too, because somehow there's more than one Chosen One."

"I guess we need a new name then, don't we," I answered with a laugh. "Maybe we should just start referring to ourselves as Anubitches." Victor looked horrified by my joke, which only caused me to laugh even more. "Well it's a fitting title. In my experience we're not Anubis' servants, we're his slaves."

Victor laughed, albeit hesitantly, "You're very strange, Nina. Did you know that?"

Victor was calling me strange? He should look in the mirror. "Look, you know my secret now, and that's really all I can tell you, so just back off, yeah? Six months and you'll never see any of us again." Hopefully, we'd find a way home and he wouldn't be seeing us for even six months.

"I'll let it drop," Victor conceded with a smile. " But if you're ever looking for another face in your little group there are a lot of things I know. My father has sorta drilled everything Egyptian into my head; I could probably help you."

I'd been about to walk away completely, but Victor's offer held me to the floor. I'd never really thought about it, but Victor always did know more than anyone else. If I hadn't spent two years working against him and instead had had his help we'd probably have dealt with all our troubles quicker. Maybe one of the things that needed to be changed was Victor's stats as 'enemy.'

"I'll talk to the others about it, okay," I told the lonely boy with a smile. "But there's already a lot of distrust in our group. A lot of bad history." Sure, Rufus had kidnapped and tried to kill us, but it was Victor who'd made our day-to-day lives a living Hell. Besides, we had to trust Rufus; he was the Osirian. I wasn't sure I could even convince the rest of Sibuna to let Victor in. "I wouldn't count on a yes," I settled with stepping into the store to get some clothes. I turned to hold the door for Victor, but found him already walking back down the street.

"What's up with him?" Amber asked her arms weighed down with clothes. Unsure how to explain the complicated young man, I just shrugged before listening to the girl's suggestions on what I should buy. As the girl spoke, I couldn't help but wonder if maybe it wasn't Rufus's destiny we'd been sent here to change. So long as we kept him away from the Elixir Rufus would be fine, but Victor was just a lost boy. His father considered him a disappointment, and amidst a whole school of peers he didn't seem to have a single friend.

I'd never liked the crotchety caretaker of Anubis house, but my eager housemate reminded me a lot of myself when I arrived at Amun Boarding school. In a way, the only thing I wanted to do in 1938 was find a way to make Victor Rodenmaar Jr. happy.


	13. Chapter 13 House of Love

Sorry for not updating yesterday, I ended up being at the registry for three hours before I could get my permit…I think right now y'all should be glad you live nowhere near me because I'm a danger to society behind the wheel. Anyway, thank you all so much for your numerous reviews, and on with the story.

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Chapter 13

House of Valentines

_One month and 12 days later_

"Come on, Sarah. It's Valentine's day. You have to wear the red dress," I prompted my friend holding it out for her. Still, she shook her head. "Why not? You look gorgeous in it and when Rufus takes one look at you his chin will hit the floor."

"Of course it will," the girl answered snatching the dress and tossing it back in our dresser. "He'll die of shock! It's much too short on me Nina; you should wear it. From what you tell me of the clothes of your time Fabian will see nothing of it."

"Exactly!" I reminded the girl pulling the dress back out. "You agreed to let Amber plan our little Valentine's get-together, something I advised against by the way, so now you have to deal with what she planned."

Sarah rolled her eyes, but eventually grabbed the dress, "I didn't imagine she'd plan a futuristic Valentine's Day." Despite her moaning and groaning, Sarah dressed quickly before scowling in the mirror. "No. No, I can't do this. I look like a flapper!"

No, actually, the dress was shorter than that of most flappers, but to me it was exceptionally long. Red silk hung against each curve, and the hem landed just above Sarah's knees. Amber lent me the white and blue floral skirt she'd been wearing when we got stuck here, so the skirt, like all modern clothes, barely covered my butt. Sarah might feel revealed, but I was the only one showing any skin.

"You look amazing," I told the girl honestly grabbing her arms before she could pull the dress off. "Besides, Mr. Rodenmaar and Mrs. R are both stuck in staff meetings all day and Clara is off with her mysterious boyfriend. The only two people who could see you and think your dress is short will be Victor and Rufus."

Sarah ran her hand through her hair as she spoke, "Oh now I have to take it off! I can't imagine Victor seeing me like this…he'll laugh."

"And if he does Rufus will punch him in the face," I admitted thinking of how protective a boyfriend Rufus was even when not being the Osirian. "You look amazing Sarah; I think you just need to learn to live a little. Amber has dealt with your fashion for over a month and her boyfriend is 80 years away on Valentine's Day. Just do it for her, please?"

Sarah sighed, but eventually she nodded and grabbed her purse. Of all of Sibuna, Amber had definitely taken to life in the 30's the worst. At least I had Fabian and Patricia had Eddie; Amber missed Alfie. We were all missing our homes, but it didn't take long for me to realize Amber missed her love. If letting Amber plan this group date would make her happy then we'd all do our best to comply.

"Oh, my Anubis," Amber squealed when she saw us creep down the staircase. "They're both going to die when they see you."

I grinned, because for once I wasn't sure Amber was exaggerating. Ever-platonic Eddie, who stood next to a leather-skirt-wearing Patricia, looked up in awe at the way 'modern' dress bolstered a girl's walk. There was just something about sassy clothes that could make any woman feel like a goddess. "You two look nice," he encouraged with a smile, his loving gaze quickly falling back to a jealous Patricia.

Fabian and Rufus, who'd been in the kitchen gathering food for our picnic, arrived in the foyer with gaping mouths. Considering Rufus had never seen anything near his girlfriend's knees, it was no surprise when he dumped the blanket he held beneath his arms. "Wow," he finally coughed out. "I might want to go back to 2013 with you; the clothes is smoking."

"Watch it," Fabian warned grabbing my hand with a smile. "I'll remind you one of them is my girlfriend."

"No offence Nina," the boy answered barely looking at me, "But Fabian, you can keep her. I have a girl of my own." Sarah blushed red, but the confidence in her step proved my point. Looking good could make you feel great.

"What on earth?" Victor, the only member of Anubis house not going out, cried from his doorway. "What are you all wearing?"

I looked around realizing it wasn't just us four girls who looked like we belonged back home. Fabian, Eddie, and Rufus had switched out their every-day three-piece suits for just a shirt and tie or even just a shirt if you were Eddie. In the past month, we'd opened up a bit to our caretaker-turned housemate, but we'd never confirmed his theory that we were from the future. From the look in his eyes, now we had.

"Come clean, what year do you run out of fabric to make clothes? 3030?"

We all laughed hysterically, but Amber pulled herself together first to answer him, "2013 actually, and we do have plenty of fabric. We just have learned to use it sparingly for the sake of fashion."

"Hey," the boy answered with his hands up and a smile. "I love it. Amber, you look really nice…not that you don't always, just, especially nice today."

(Yeah, take a second to be shocked. That was Victor hitting on Amber, just as he'd been doing for the past month. Though I'm pretty sure the blonde has yet to figure it out because she hasn't attempted to take Mrs. R's bleach and apply it to her brain.)

"We were just about to go out," Fabian told his roommate with a smile. "Amber has this big plan for our date."

"Oh," Victor's voice deflated. "So, Amber, who are you going with."

"Amber doesn't have a date," Patricia interrupted without the usual crossness in her voice. Almost as if…no. Patricia wasn't trying to get Amber's mind off Alfie by setting her up with…

"Well, if you want I'll go with you," Victor offered clearly expecting a quick and multi-voiced rejection. "I mean I don't exactly have a Valentine either."

Amber looked shocked, but from everyone else's faces I was the only one not in on the plan. "You, want to go on a date, with me?"

"I mean it doesn't have to be a date…" Victor replied obviously regretting ever speaking up. "This house is just so couple-y I figured. Never mind, I'm just going to go…"

"Wait," Amber cried bouncing on the balls of her feet. "You can come, but you're not my boyfriend, just my Valentine."

Mingling faces of shock and joy followed the 'couple' out the door leaving Fabian and me shocked by the odd turn of events. "Victor and…Amber?" My boyfriend clarified as if he had no idea what just happened either.

"I'm sure she's just missing Alfie," I insisted though I wasn't so sure. Victor reminded me of Alfie in the fact that they were both awkward and obsessed with Amber, but besides that I didn't know how she'd connect the two. "You don't actually think…"

Fabian shrugged, "Nina, we're in 1932 and have been for over a month. I've stopped trying to predict what the future will hold and started hoping it just ended well."

And hopefully, the ending included us being able to dress normally more than once a year.


	14. Chapter 14 House of Memories

Y'all are awesome, you know that? In less than two weeks I've exceeded 50 reviews, 2350 views, and 615 visitors. In addition, no chapter has less than 60 visitors. So, yeah, you're all prefect. I really don't deserve you. In payment, take a fluffy chapter before we really get into the plot.

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Chapter 14

House of Memories

"Amber, you shouldn't have," Fabian groaned as he realized where the girl had set up our Valentine 's Day picnic.

The girl beamed as she sat down on the mat, "You can thank me later Fabian, now get us some drinks."

Fabian shrugged, but did as the girl requested. As I settled down next to my best friend, I explained to Amber the problem, "Amber, this is where you took Fabian and I on our first date."

"I know!" the girl squealed! "Isn't it adorable Nins?"

No, it wasn't adorable because, "Amber, that date ended with Fabian and I breaking up."

The color drained from Amber's face as she realized her mistake. Shifting nervously, she spoke, "Oops. Sorry Nins."

"Don't make such a fuss about it Nina," Patricia chastised from her and Eddie's corner of the picnic blanket. "You two ended up being a disgustingly cute couple anyway, so no harm done."

Fabian dropped a soda in my hand as he shrugged in agreement. We were together now, thank God, so really why ruin the date with thoughts of miscommunication.

"Wow, I wouldn't have guessed but you Rufus are a culinary genius," I praised biting into the sandwiches the beaming boy had made. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Sarah smiled sadly, "My mom. Rufus, Victor and I used to live in the kitchen with her. She'd always be teaching us recipes and giving us tips."

"I only ever went to taste test," Victor fondly interjected a smile creeping up his face. "Do you guys remember playing that game where we'd see how many cookies we could steal before she noticed?"

Rufus and Sarah laughed eyes glossy with memories. "I'm pretty sure my mum knew exactly what we were up to. No one could be that oblivious. Rufus," hse cried playfully grabbing her boyfriend's arm as he picked up a sandwich. "Do you remember the time Victor dared you to steal the bowl of frosting my mom was using?"

"And then your mom walks up to your room to find all three of us covered in white because Rufus started flinging it around," Victor recalled laughing heartily. "She was livid. The only time I think I ever saw her yell."

Rufus nodded, "Actually there was that one time when..." He kept speaking, but Fabian began whispering in my ear so I didn't hear them

"Want to go for a walk."

Nodding, we easily ditched the group date and soon the sounds of laughter disappeared into the distance. "No group dates, didn't we agree on that once?" I recalled laughing myself.

"I think so," Fabian admitted biting his lip pensively. "Still, with Amber involved I think we'll end up on plenty more."

How very true. "We can always just sneak away. I doubt they've even noticed we're gone."

"No," Fabian giggled. "Amber's too busy on her date with Victor." Finally free from having to explain, Fabian and I fell into a fit of laughter at the thought. It really didn't matter that the Victor now was young and handsome; all I could picture was my friend Amber with the crotchety Victor we all disliked.

"I definitely wouldn't have called that one," I admitted once I got my breathing under control. "Though it doesn't really surprise me. Amber goes for those you'd never suspect…and everyone goes for Amber."

Fabian pulled me to a stop and kissed my forehead as he objected, "I don't. I go for this ridiculous dirty-blonde who I'm somehow still in love with even though she got me stuck in a year before my grandparents were even born."

Did he just said he…. I mean I'd known it forever but he'd never said…

"I love you too Fabian," I whispered glad to finally be able to say it. How odd that it was only when I was stuck in the past that I had time to say what I needed to? "And I'm sorry we're here."

Fabian smiled softly, "I'm not sorry we're here. I mean right here, with you in my arms, that's exactly where I'd like to be. And it's been interesting to be in 1932…I just wish we could go home."

"We will go home. I'll find a way to bring us home," I promised despite my internal concern that I was lying to him. I kept promising all my friends we'd go home, but in over a month, I hadn't had a single clue as to what my dream-vision meant or how we'd get home.

"Let's not worry about that now," Fabian suggested pulling me onto his lap as we let our feet dangle from a tree stump. "I don't want to think of the future because 1932 is looking pretty nice right now. There's something here I love seeing."

He liked 1932? "What do you love to see?"

Fabian shrugged a small grin lining his cheeks, "Oh there's this girl in 1932. She isn't being hunted by ghosts or cults, and she's genuinely happy. And that girl I get to see every day."

"Shut up," I told him playfully slapping him. "You got to see me everyday in 2013 as well."

Fabian smiled, but the cheer in his tone disappeared, "I got to see the Chosen One every day in 2013. You spent all of last term worrying about Senkhara and curses. Before that you worried about the Elixir and Victor's Society. I saw just enough of my Chosen One to fall in love, but here there's only you Nina. Maybe us being stuck here isn't such a bad thing. You're getting a chance to be a teenager."

"Most teenagers don't know the exact date the depression will end and World War two will destroy this countryside," I reminded him with a sigh. "Nor do they have to lie about every single piece of their history."

Fabian sighed, "True, but you're more relaxed here. Even if some Egyptian thing was to come up, it would technically be Sarah's to deal with. All I'm saying is maybe we don't rush back to our first day of Senior year. Carpe Diem, seize the day. We've been given an amazing opportunity; maybe it's time we take it."

Yeah. Maybe.

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Or maybe it's not so fluffy. So, Fabian wouldn't mind staying in 1932 and everything is going okay...surely that means next chapter everything will go wrong. :)


	15. Chapter 15 House of Lies

So you've had your fun. Now it's my turn.

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Chapter 15

House of Lies

"There you two are!" Amber called interrupting the non-sense conversation Fabian and I had been having for hours. "I found them."

Lifting my head from Fabian's shoulder, I spoke not at all guilty, "Sorry, we just wanted some alone time. We should be getting back to school, shouldn't we?"

"It's almost dinner," Fabian realized looking down at his watch. 'We've been out here for hours."

As illogical as I knew it was, I didn't want to follow the other couples back to the house. These stolen hours with Fabian were the best in a long time. Until I saw Rufus and Sarah running towards me I could almost imagine we were back in our own time having normal lives.

Wait, why were Sarah and Rufus running?

"Mr. Rodenmaar,"Rufus breathlessly began doubled over with exhaustion and cramps from his remarkable speed. "We've been out too long and he beat us back."

'What!" Patricia and I cried in unison looking down at our anachronistic clothes. "We're going to have to sneak in," I stated despite the fact it was obvious. "Otherwise we'll have to come up with a way to explain the clothes.

Fabian bit his lip, "Victor is in normal clothes. Maybe he runs in and gets us something to change into."

"I can do that," Victor supplied with a nod. "But it's almost six. My dad is going to lock the doors and then none of you will be able to get in."

Luckily there were many ways into Anubis house. "Go get the clothes," I ordered heading towards the Frobisher Library. "Get the clothes and find a way to sneak into the basement. There's a shelf with a weird pattern above it, but it's not a pattern, it's a lock. The code is 1890. Once you enter it you'll be brought into a secret room; we'll meet you there."

Victor nodded, clearly nervous about the task, but understanding of the gravity the situation held. The clothes we wore shouldn't exist in this time. Mr. Rodenmaar had been suspicious since the day we arrived; if he found us looking like this we, and our secret, were toast.

As Victor fled off running I turned to my confused friends, "Sarah, Rufus, you've been wanting to see the tunnels? Well now you're going to get your wish. We'll go in through the library and meet Victor in your dad's study. The tasks were meant to keep people out, not in, so hopefully they're one way only."

"Nina, the bridge isn't down yet," Patricia whispered. "How are we supposed to get across the cavern?"

No! She was right and Victor was already gone. "Fabian, you don't look that bad. I need you to catch up with Victor and help im get the amulets. We'll turn off the pendulum, but the two of you will have to get the bridge down."

Fabian nodded, and went to leave just as Rufus and Eddie cried, "We're going too."

"Why don't we just say we're sluts and accept whatever punishment we're going to get," Patricia fret as the guys disappeared. "Nina this is getting ridiculous."

She was right; this was completely ridiculous. Still, I knew that this was something we had to do...and from the look in Sarah's eye she felt it too. "I don't know how to explain it," I began slowly hoping to make it sound logical. (When it was actually well beyond the realm of logic.) "But I feel like there's something in the tunnels i need to get. Like I'm destined to go down there."

"It's a Chosen One thing?" Amber realized as she offered a weak smile. "I trust you Nins. If you feel like this is something you need to do then we're with you."

Sarah shook her head, "This isn't something she needs to do. It's something we need to do. Renpet wanted there to be two Chosen One's together for a reason; i think this is the reason."

"Well I think you're all crazy," Patricia murmured with a broad grin. "But I'll trust you on this one. If there's nothing though..."

"There's something," Sarah and I declared concurrently before exchanging a *that was weird* look. Patricia nodded and we snuck toward the closed-only-for-the-night library. Patricia easily picked the lock with her bobby-pin, and soon enough we entered the dark athenaeum. As patricia and Amber began prying the tunnel cover off, Sarah grabbed my arm.

"What's wrong?" her normally lively face looked pail as a ghost and the terror in her eyes matched mine.

"Whatever is down there we need to deal with it," she began looking at my friends as if they were canon fodder. "But don't you have the feeling it's dangerous?" should we not just send them ahead with the boys?"

She was right. Something was down in that tunnel, something that had to do with my dream. "Patricia, Amber, you need to go and be seen by Mr. Rodenmaar."

"He'll skin us!" Patricia complained brow['s bunched in confusion. "No way Nina!"

"The boys need a distraction," Sarah pressed catching on with what I needed them to do. Mr. Rodenmaar would yell and punish, but it would be a whole lot better than what would happen if they came with us.

Amber stepped closer to me her heels clicking with each step, "What aren't you telling us? What's going on."

"We're telling you everything we know," I lied now feeling very, very guilty about it. "We just need you to give the boys time. And let's be honest those clothes are the best distraction you could get."

Amber sighed, but walked out the library door easily. Patricia went to follow, but turned back to cast us a final warning, "Whatever you're trying to protect us from...maybe you should worry about it hurting you two as well."

"We'll be fine," Sarah whispered despite us knowing how big a lie it was.

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WWell that escalated quickly. ...


	16. Chapter 16 House of Truth

I hate to do this but…I'm about to start my sophomore year of high school and I have to be realistic. I swear on my life you will get a chapter every Friday unless I tell you otherwise it's not happening. If it's Saturday in California (not where I live but it kind of works because I consider 12-3 Saturday Friday night) anyway, if it's Saturday in California and I have not updated assume I'm dead.

I will also try my absolute best to update every Monday. Until I start play, you'll probably still get updates at least every-other day, but I'm just trying to get you guys on the same page as me. I'm working on three things right now and really need to start a fourth, so my fingers don't have time to stop writing. Anyway, you have until next week for this to go into effect; I just wanted you all to have a warning. Updates will be slowing down.

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Chapter 16

House of Truth

"This tunnel's a lot darker than I imagined," Sarah coughed through the dust from behind me. "How much farther up is it?"

"Not far," I cheerfully encouraged seeing the moonlight in the distance. Just as I spoke, the tunnel widened and I easily crawled out into the still-unfinished reflector task. Sarah followed behind me and gazed in awe at what she saw.

"I thought you said besides the hands this chamber would be empty," she finally gulped stepping closer to the golden light occupying the center of the room. "This isn't empty."

No, no it certainly wasn't. The small, wooden podium must have retreated into the floor long before we came to this task, but in this time, it stood tall. Brilliant golden rays shone from a small feather that danced above the podium. "It's not even touching the wood," I noted in awe as if that was the most impressive thing about the feather. (Hint: It wasn't.)

"Do you think it's what I think it is?" Sarah gulped running her hand around the light but just out of the magical beam's range.

I didn't know my mythology the way Sarah or Fabian did, but I'd read Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles. I knew that Sarah thought the object was, and unfortunately had the same school of thought. "You're parents stole the feather of truth. Why did your parents steal Anubis's feather of truth?"

"I don't know!" the girl cried defensively. "I don't know why they stole anything.

Oops. I hadn't meant to hit such a sore spot. Clearly Sarah blamed her parents for their own deaths, but she still didn't get why they'd risked everything for curiosity. "This is what we're down here for, but what do we do with it?"

"It's not there in your time, correct?" Sarah inquired and I could only nod hesitantly. "Maybe we're supposed to take it. It belongs to Anubis, doesn't it? Aren't we in a way Anubis's form on earth."

I didn't know if we were his form, that sounded way too much life possession, but I did think we were his representatives. Maybe this feather did still belong to us… or maybe it didn't and our hands would turn to ashes the moment we touched it.

No, not we, I. If anyone was going to die because of this feather it was going to be me. Before Sarah could even try to interfere, my hands passed through the brilliant light and I clamped the golden feather in my hand.

"Nina!" a shocked Sarah cried sprinting by my side to see if I was okay. "That was such a stupid thing to do! Are you hurt?"

I shook my head feverishly, "No. No I feel…good. Better than I have since the day, I assembled the Cup probably. Sarah, hold the feather. You have to feel this." Maybe it was just the feather's way, or maybe it was my Chosen One status, but either way Sarah had to know this ecstasy.

Hesitantly, Sarah reached out to grab it, but a booming voice called from the tunnels, "STOP!"

Rufus and Eddie came barreling over knocking Sarah's arm away before it could hit the magical light. Without even thinking of how stupid it made me seem, I pouted and whined, "Why are you being like that? She just wanted to touch it. She just wanted to feel goooooood." My three companions looked over in confusion, but I only stomped my foot. "You always ruin everything; both of you! You're both big, big meanies. With a capital M!"

"Nina," Eddie cautiously spoke reaching towards the feather in my hand. "Why don't you give it to me?"

But I didn't want to give up the feather; I'd never felt this amazing. "No!" I cried causing the golden light to flare up and burn Eddie's outstretched hand. "It's mine! You can't have it because you would just destroy it like you do everything else! It's your fault we're in 1932…if you hadn't touched that statue we'd be fine."

"Nina!" Sarah cried astounded by my accusation. "What's wrong with her?"

Eddie shook his head and reached towards the magical object again despite his flesh-bubbling burn. "It's the feather. I don't know why, but it's affecting her."

"It's making me haaaappy," I giggled dancing in place. "Unlike you. You make me sad." Being the jerk I was, I emphasized my point by pouting like one of those theatrical masks.

"Nina, you need to listen to me," Eddie pleaded stepping in front of me no matter which way I turned my head. "You need to give me the feather; it's hurting you."

Looking down at my body, I saw no physical injuries, so I stomped my foot again, "No it's not. You just want it for yourself because you take everything that's mine. My domain, my fame, my Chosen One. You're just a big, big meany."

"She thinks you're Osiris," Sarah, who understood what I meant by domain, (when at the time even I didn't), explained. "Which means she… she's channeling Anubis right now? Anubis is a grumpy two-year old?"

Eddie snorted, "Grumpy, probably, a two year old…that's all Nina. The feather is showing her true self…who she'd be if she'd never learned how to act a certain way. Apparently, Nina's naturally a brat."

"SEEEEE," I called to Sarah and Rufus. "He called me a brat. Osiris's mean. Osiris's mean."

"That's it," he told me knocking me off my feet just long enough for him to stuff the feather in his pocket before I could flare it up. Immediately my mind cleared, and everything went dark.


	17. Chapter 17 House of Voices

In my defense, I did write this yesterday and then just not have internet... so...

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Chapter 17

House of Voices

"How did you carry her over the chasm?" Patricia's voice broke through my swirling mind. I went to open my eyes, but the lids felt heavy. My brain was awake but my body immobile.

Oh my Anubis, was I dead?

No. If I was dead they would probably be crying, not just waiting.

So if I wasn't dead what was I? Though my body felt locked, I felt the room around me. _Is this an out-of-body experience? Shouldn't I be out of my body for that? _

_ I bet this is some Chosen One thing. Maybe if I just imagine myself out of my body… _Like magic, I suddenly could see my friends gathered around me. _Wow. I look skinny when I'm sleeping._

_ Focus Nina. Figure out how to wake yourself up. _

"It was incredible," Sarah exclaimed looking over in awe. "I had the same thought, but he just held her bride style and walked. Patricia, your boyfriend is inhumanly strong."

Eddie chuckled, "I think that's the point Sarah. Nina needed protecting; I protected her. When needed super-strength must fall into my Osirian abilities."

"Annoying that the girls have to be in danger before we figure out we can do," Rufus acknowledged. "I wonder if we could fly if they fell off a cliff…"

Sarah's face paled at the thought, "Let's not test that. Okay."

Rufus teasingly pushed Sarah, but she wasn't expecting it and tumbled towards the floor. Without even looking at her, Rufus slid his hand beneath Sarah's back catching her and pulling her back to her feet. Everyone stared at the boy's reflexes as he comprehended what happened. "Um, sorry."

"We're not very good at this Osirian thing, are we?" Eddie mumbled forcing a chuckle. "Otherwise I'd be able to wake Nina up."

The room turned somber as they stared at my seemingly lifeless corpse. "What even happened to her?" Amber whispered crouching down to fix my hair.

"She just collapsed the second we got into the tunnels," Sarah lied with a gulp. "I have no idea why."

So they decided to lie about the feather? I didn't really blame them, but I also felt bad for Eddie. He hated lying to Patricia, and now I'd have to lie to Fabian too. _We're lying about the feather of truth; now that's what you call irony._

"We'd better go," Rufus sighed heading towards the antechamber door. "Mr. Rodenmaar is already furious and probably taking it out on Victor."

"I'm not leaving her," Fabian and Eddie insisted with clenched teeth. Patricia scowled with jealousy, but the others nodded.

"I'll try to see if I can find anything in my dad's books about magical comas," Sarah promised with a weak smile. "But if she doesn't wake up within the next few hours we're going to have to take her to a hospital."

Eddie's eyes mixed guilt and determination like one mixes cement. "She'll be fine."

Amber, Patricia, Sarah, and Rufus cast my body a final glance before leaving to face the music. Considering they had yet to change out of their "modern" clothes, Mr. Rodenmaar was probably ready to kill them.

Once they were gone, Fabian reached over to hold my hand, "Nina. If you can hear me, please. Please wake up."

"I would if I could," I grumbled despite knowing he couldn't hear me. But from the way Eddie swiveled his head, he could.

"Eddie, can you hear me?" Was it possible? Maybe if we could communicate we'd be able to figure out how to get me back in my body.

Eddie blinked repeatedly before hesitantly speaking, "Nina? Yeah I can hear, you, where are you?"

Fabian looked very confused, "Eddie, I can't hear anything and Nina's mouth isn't moving. Are you okay?

"Eddie I'm here, standing next to you…just not in my body," I told him overjoyed that I was being heard. "Tell Fabian I'm fine."

Eddie repeated the message, but Fabian still looked confused. "So she's here, just not in her body. And you can hear her?"

"That seems to be the case," Eddie shrugged before turning in the direction I'm assuming he thought I was. (Spoilers: I was on the other side of him.) "Nina. Why aren't you in your body."

If only I knew, "No idea. And I don't know how to get back in it! Do you have the feather?"

Eddie looked over at Fabian nervously, "Yeah."

"Yeah what?" Fabian interrupted jumping to his feet. "What is she saying?"

"Tell him I asked if he brought me back here," I suggested and Eddie did as I said. "Eddie, do you think you can hear me because you're my Osirian?"

Eddie seemed to think it was a stupid question. After repeating my side of the conversation to Fabian, he answered, "Yeah, I'm guessing that's the case."

"I have an idea," Fabian reluctantly admitted. "But you're not going to like it." I'd like any idea that could get me back in my body. "I think you need to go unconscious too Eddie. Then maybe you can guide Nina back to her body."

It wasn't a bad idea, but something told me Eddie couldn't just sleep and join me. "No way," I declared frustration lining my voice. "Eddie, don't you dare touch that feather."

Eddie ignored my protests, "Nina loves the idea."

Fabian's eyes said he knew me well enough to know that was a big, fat, lie, but he cared more about my safety than my wishes. "Okay then. Pick a chair and…sleep I guess."

"Edison Sweet if you hold that feather I will personally murder you!" I cried right in the boy's ear. He cringed, but sat down in the chair anyway. "I'm serious Eddie. Don't do it. The feather's light alone burned you; imagine what the artifact itself will do!"

"I'm sure I'll be right peachy when we awake," Eddie chuckled getting amusement from my anger. "Now shut up Nina, I'm trying to sleep."

I didn't shut up. I yelled and yelled and yelled, but my Osirian kept his hand around the feather in his pocket. Burns blistered his fingers, but he continued to hold on. Finally, the power became too much and Eddie's fingers unclamped knocking him out as it had done so with me.


	18. Chapter 18 House of Conservators

You know what? I'm freaking out about school tomorrow, but everything is good because there are 62 awesome people who like my writing enough to read 17,958+ words of it. I love you :).

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Chapter 18

House of Conservators

I almost screamed as Eddie lifted from his body blinking at me in confusion. Together we stood on a different plane from Fabian, who sat silently rubbing my hand. "You shouldn't have done that," I told Eddie with a scowl and platonic punch. "Now we both need to find a way back."

"We'll figure something out," Eddie sighed. "We always do."

Except that didn't seem to be the case as of late, did it? First we got trapped in 1932, and now we were trapped without our bodies in 1932. Was there an Egyptian goddess of luck and what had I done to anger her?

"Hey, Nina?" Eddie interjected stepping towards the bookcase covering the tunnels. "Do you see that?"

How could I miss it? Now that Eddie pointed it out I realized the brilliant light covered the entire room. Shrugging, I pulled the book to open the case and was blinded by the immense light radiating towards me. By the time my eyes adjusted, Eddie stood between the source of the light and me.

A homely woman stood in the center of the chamber not appearing even to notice the blinding light she emitted. A floor length dress clung to her every curve and, from the jewelry she wore, the girl was either dressed as Cleopatra or actually Egyptian.

Considering who I was, I didn't consider it too far a stretch to consider a Egyptian goddess, even before I noticed the artifact resting on each wrist. "That's the scale of truth, isn't it?"

The woman nodded clearly pleased I recognized them, "Most of the scale, yes. There is one piece missing, stolen actually, which is why I bring the rest to you."

"Who are you?" Eddie, who didn't appear to even know what the scale was, inquired. He'd relaxed a bit, but every hair on his body still stood on-edge. If she tried anything Eddie would probably attack her; from the look in his eye he'd win.

"I'm Nebthet," the woman greeted and though I'd never heard of her I knew my assumption was correct. Eddie and I were in the presence of an Egyptian goddess. "Mother of Anubis."

Anubis. Call me stupid, but I'd never really taken the time to learn about my patron. I'd never even taken a moment to consider whether or not I actually believed in him. There was no reason for me not to believe, but then again why would I? Egyptian god and real haven't gone in the same sentence in about 2000 years. Everyone told me he existed, but I wasn't sure I wanted him to.

Apparently, I didn't get a say in the matter.

Eddie's stance relaxed, probably because he didn't think he could take on a goddess. "So are we supposed to bow, or sacrifice a cow at your feet?" he joked. (Probably.) "You're the first goddess I've met so I'm not quite sure of the procedure."

"No formalities," Nebthet answered with a maternal smile. "Many gods would expect that, it's true, but it would not be right as I am here to ask a favor of you two."

And suddenly we were back to the golden scales resting on her arms. "You said something about part of them being stolen. How does something get stolen from the Afterlife."

"That's the thing," the goddess sighed and I realized just how weary she must be. (5,000 years probably catches up with you eventually.) "No one should have been able to steal the base of the scale, but one minute my son was weighing a lawyer's heart and the next the object crumbled. No one could have physically taken it; we were right there. The only explanation would be someone used magic to commit his or her heist."

So magic was real now too? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, 1932 and all, but the word magic sounded way too "Harry Potter" for me to really believe it existed. I wanted to go to Hogwarts as much as the next person, but I'd never considered magic as real.

Eddie, however, shrugged it off, "So the base is stolen, but not the whole thing? How does that work?"

Nebthet school her head, "If only we knew. Whatever the case may be, someone wants this scale, and for that exact reason they shouldn't have it."

"So you're giving it to us?" I clarified because it sounded like a ridiculous idea. "Why give it to us? Surely you have some godly friends who could protect it."

The goddess seemed to find the idea of giving it to a different god amusing, because she laughed, "If you knew how disastrous that would end you wouldn't have suggested it. Even if another god wouldn't abuse the object's power, which they would, the scale wouldn't be safe with them. The first place whoever wants this would look would be with the other gods."

"And no one would look for it in the hands of a few human teenagers," Eddie understood laughing to cover how insulted he really was.

Nebthet, however, shook her head, "It's not that you're human, it's that whoever wants this scale doesn't know you exist, not in this time at least. You and Nina can hide it, and no one would think twice about using a spell based on you to find it. Sarah and Rufus are the Servants of this time period, and they are probably under watch already. You two are, as far as any human knows, just normal teenagers."

"Wait, you think it's a human who tried to steal it?" I clarified because I thought the idea was ridiculous. Surely it was some other god; who else would have the power to steal from Osiris's palace itself?

"Only humans can do magic, Nina," Nebthet explained much to my surprise. "We gods are very limited in our abilities, and we wouldn't steal each other's sacred instruments. No, this was the work of a human, which is why it will be safe with you. One of you hide the feather, one the scale, and don't tell anyone, wach other included, where you did so. When all seems safe I will return to you myself to collect the objects. Don't trust anybody, not even each other."

Eddie always knew the right question to ask, "So why then should we trust you?"

I only wish Nebthet had answered. Maybe then I wouldn't have felt so queasy as I awoke back in my body.


	19. Chapter 19 House of Punishment

School makes me sad, but you guys, you make me very, very happy. Thanks for being awesome.

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Chapter 19

House of Punishment

Nebthet had somehow put the un-assembled scale in my pocket as it weighed me down when I tried to sit up. "You're okay," Fabian exclaimed clearly relieved. "I was so worried about you Nina."

"Don't be," I lied hugging him tight. "I'm always okay."

"I'm okay too," Eddie complained sitting up with a grin. "In case you want to give me a hug as well, Fabian."

My boyfriend and I rolled our eyes at the boy's antics, and prepared to go and face the music. (Really, Mr. Rodenmaar's yelling sounded just like the screemo Patricia and Eddie adore.)

We hadn't expected, however, for Mr. Rodenmaar to be hiding in the cellar, almost as if he knew we were down there, "A secret chamber," the man mused causing me to jump in surprise. "Is that where you're always sneaking off to?"

"No," Fabian panicked just as Eddie responded, "Yes."

Mr. Rodenmaar gave us an annoyed look, so I spoke up. "I mean we're not always down here…just sometimes."

"And how do you get down here, Miss Martin?" the man's chilling voice inquired. "The lock is firmly in-tact on the door."

Eddie snorted a laugh, "Don't you know, Mr. Rodenmaar, Nina and I are magic. We just wish to be in the basement and boom, here we are."

"I will not have you lip, boy," Mr. Rodenmaar growled thoughts of the chamber replaced with anger. (Which, to be honest, was probably Eddie's goal.) "You three are in big, big trouble. Not only is it well past curfew, and not only are you in a forbidden area of the school, you three have the nerve to lie to me!"

Fabian and I lowered our head in terror at the booming voice, but Eddie only laughed. "Wow! We're in trouble. So, scary. So tell me, Vic, can I call you Vic? Well tell me Vic, what are you going to do, expel us? 'Cause if you do then the rest of the house will leave as well and I don't know how you will have the money to keep the school open when a third of your students leave."

Mr. Rodenmaar's look was deadly, but he made no move to attack. Instead three toothbrushes tumbled to the floor. Content that we understood our punishment, Mr. Rodenmaar stalked away fuming.

"That, was amazing," Fabian praised once we were in the clear. "You have a gift."

Eddie shrugged it off, but the smile that tickled his cheeks said he was proud. "What can I say? I'm just amazing. Come on, we'd better go to bed. I think it's like midnight and we have another week of classes until break starts."

Fabian nodded and began creeping up the stairs Mr. Rodenmaar left unlocked for us. Once he was out of earshot, I turned to Eddie, "We need Mr. Rodenmaar to see us tonight, and then I guess we ditch classes tomorrow to hide these things."

"We ditch class everyone will know," Eddie countered shaking his blonde locks. "We'll have to keep them on us until tomorrow and hide them after school."

He was right, that was our best option, but the thought of keeping the scales of life on me for a whole day was terrifying. "Whatever you do, don't touch the feather. It recognizes you as Osiris and it doesn't like you very much."

"And it likes you?" Eddie chuckled as we crept up after Fabian. "Nina, you almost died."

Had I? The feather hadn't been hurting me until Eddie took it away and even then Nebthet wanted me unconscious. The scales and the feather belong to Anubis, and as they Chosen One that sorta made them mine. Whatever the case, they made me feel powerful and power was something I needed right now. "Switch with me," I told the boy pulling out the scales. "These aren't affecting me at all, so they won't be as dangerous for you."

Eddie squinted in suspicion, but eventually nodded passing the feather into my pocket and taking the scales. Blisters lined his fingers where the feather touched, but as I suspected he barely flinched when his hands met the scales. "Don't touch it unless you have to, and whatever you do-don't lie well holding it," my Osirian cautioned. "It's the feather of truth, and I get the feeling it could burn us up over a lie we don't even know we're telling."

I wasn't even touching the feather and I felt it's power; it could probably kill me for lying without even touching it. "Night, Eddie," I told him with a smile. "See you tomorrow, okay?"

"Night, Nina. Doubt I'll sleep well; now I have to figure out a darn place to hide this," he responded jigging back to his room. Slowly, I padded back to my room debating myself where I could hide the feather.

If I was smart, I'd go in the attic and hide it in one of the rooms only my necklace could open. I trusted all four people who could access it, and if they didn't know it was there no one could force them to do so.

If I was really smart, I'd hide the feather in the bottom of the sea. No human could get it out with current technology, but surely Nebthet could get it out when she needed.

However, I didn't feel like being smart. I understood then what my masked captures are looking for in my vision, and I knew where I needed to put the feather.

I guess those hair-feathers have to go in style a few decades early.


	20. Chapter 20 House of Feathers

Do you know why I love you guys? Because on my other stories I struggle to get 10 views per chapter and in our first month we got 4K! GROUP HUG! (Of course if you like me, and Doctor Who or Supernatural or Warriors or Harry Potter you should check out my other stories because I will love you to death.) Oh and I'm putting a poll up about my next HOA story so if you want your input check it out in my profile.

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Chapter 20

House of Feathers

"Nina, what's that you're putting in your hair?" my roommate asked noticing the little feather I was trying to hide beneath my thick layers.

"A feather," I calmly replied hoping she didn't recognize it as the same one we'd found in the tunnels.

Sarah rolled her eyes, "I can see that. I more meant why are you putting a yellow feather in your hair."

"It's a lucky charm," I lied twisting it in one more time and letting the ponytail fall and cover it. "That's its use in 2012 at least. Mine disappeared when we got here and I got this as a new one." I spun around to face the girl feeling the heavy feather brush against my neck. "Normally you'd have them visible, but since hair feathers won't be worn for a really long time I figured I'd cover it. Bet you don't even see it, do you?"

Sarah nodded her head looking impressed, "Yeah. I mean if I really look I can see the flash of yellow-what's it from a canary?"

"I was a canary once," Amber, who'd arrived in the doorway with Patricia, mused. "It was actually in a play Nina wrote about you…"

I shook my head, "It's a long story…and most of it's Amber's fault." It had been her big mouth that told Mr. Winkler what the play should be about..and then nominated me to write it. _That play actually wasn't that bad, but it was so wrong. We hadn't even known about the Osirian then, never mind that it was Rufus._

"We should get downstairs," Patricia reminded. "And then I want an explanation as to why we went to all that trouble yesterday for nothing." Sarah flashed me a glance, clearly thinking about how the trouble was far from over nothing. The heaviness of my head proved that.

"Yeah," Amber pouted. "I want an explanation because I broke a nail trying to move that bridge before Eddie's Osirian kicked in and did it for us."

Patricia gave me a look as she connected the dots, "Why did his Osirian nature kick in? You don't look like you were in that much danger… mind you did end up in a coma so I guess something happened."

"No idea what happened," I lied with a closed-lipped-smile. "I just passed out soon as we hit the tunnels. Maybe it has something to do with me being out of time…"

Amber nodded as if the explanation made perfect sense, but Patricia was a bit more dubious, "Yeah. Maybe."

None of us had anything else to say, so Amber and Patricia lead the way downstairs. Just as I was about to follow them, Sarah grabbed my shoulder, "What did happen to the feather. It's not the one in your hair, right?"

"After what it did to me when I just touched it do you really think I want to wear it?" I questioned pretending the answer was no. "Eddie's planning on hiding it somewhere even we can't find it until some answers present themselves."

Sarah nodded, "Do you think the feather in the tunnels has something to do with Renpet sending you back in time?"

Well I certainly didn't believe in coincidences, "There's some godly chess game going on and we're each pieces. What worries me is that you and I are the queens, Eddie and Rufus the Bishops, and our friends the pawns."

Sarah shook her head, "I don't think it's the pawns you need to worry about. I think it's the King."

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Sorry it's so short, but this is one of those really hard chapters that set everything up but nothing actually happens in them. I like the ending though. so, who do you think is the King?


	21. Chapter 21 House of Pelicans

Thanks again for being awesome your amazing 70 people who chose to read my story. I love you all. Also, I'm probably going to shift the updates to Saturday and Monday because I have a large role in our school play and am wiped by the end of the week.

Don't forget to check out the poll on my profile. Right now, I have a 4-way tie and I'd like that to be sorted out by some lovely voters!

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Chapter 21

House of Pelicans

"It's Sarah, right? Sarah Frobisher-Smythe?" an unfamiliar voice called as Sarah and I passed through the hallway. We stopped to find a platinum-haired girl running towards us a smile bright on her yellow-lipstick lips. "I'm Shaba, I know, horrible name."

Sarah and I exchanged a glance wondering who this girl was and why she was so happy to see Sarah. This school wasn't a very big place, so I knew for a fact she didn't go here. Or at least hadn't before that day. "Yeah, Nina and Sarah," I politely introduced. "Are you knew?"

Shaba nodded, "Yeah, first day. It's nice to meet you both. Sorry if I scared you by knowing your name, it's just you're kinda famous in the pagan circle." Wait, did she just say pagan…. As in gods….as in Anubis? "Sorry, I'm freaking you out again, aren't I?" Shaba nervously giggled. "It's just like meeting a celebrity. Where's Rufus?"

"I'm sorry, but I think you must have us confused…" Sarah coughed stepping back from the girl. "I really don't know what you're talking about…"

Shaba laughed, "You don't have to hide from me Sarah. I know you're the Chosen One. Actually, everyone knows you're the Chosen One. Rufus Zeno is your Osirian, right? I'm surprised he's not here already. You look pretty freaked. Oh! I bet that's him now."

Turning around, I saw Eddie and Rufus appearing behind us. Eddie gave me a look, clearly wondering what was going on, and I just shrugged. If I knew what was going on, I probably wouldn't be so terrified. All I knew was that this Shaba knew about the Servants…and she knew who they were. "What's going on here?" Rufus bluntly asked sensing Sarah's apprehension.

"Don't freak out on me," Shaba requested holding up her hands in surrender. "I couldn't hurt you two if I tried. I just know things. There's a few of us around the world… a few who haven't forgotten. The Chosen One and the Osirian…that's always been my Cinderella. You're both superheroes, and I'm just the only one who knows it."

Shaba didn't seem to be a threat. She stood shorter than me, and probably could break in half when bending over she was so skinny. Still, I didn't like the idea of someone who wasn't in Sibuna, someone who I didn't trust with my life, knowing what I was. What we were.

_But she doesn't know what you are, Nina. She knows about Sarah and Rufus. You and Eddie aren't even born yet. _This is exactly what Nebthet meant when she said that the scale would only be safe with us. Even this pagan girl didn't know that Eddie and I had power too.

_Lots of power._ I realized running my fingers through my hair and feeling the feather's pulse. "So it that why you're here? Because Sarah and Rufus are?" Eddie interrogated studying the girl. "Because I idolize lots of people but you don't see me knocking on their doors."

Shaba's face burned red, "No. Of course not. I just needed a school to go to and I just went here and saw you and… What's your name again?"

"Eddie Miller," the boy replied eyes tight with suspicion. "I never got yours."

"Her name's Shaba," I told my Osirian hoping he'd get the message. Maybe I didn't like Shaba, and maybe I didn't trust her, but she was still a girl. Eddie really needed to just give her a break. "Eddie. Don't you have things you need to do?" Like hide the scales of truth.

Eddie nodded in understanding and backed off, "Yeah. I better go do that. Nina, Sarah, Rufus, I think the bell is about to ring for class."

"We better get going," I told the pagan girl with a weak smile. "Maybe we'll see you around."

Shaba nodded sadly, clearly getting the message. There's a reason they say never meet your heroes though, and this was it. It's insanely creepy… especially when your heroes are constantly under the threat of their lives.

Everyone went to go, but as I did Shaba grabbed my arm. Eddie stiffed up tightly, but I nodded for everyone to go on. If Shaba wanted a word with me… I was going to give it to her. No matter how much she crept me out.

"That feather in your hair," she whispered once the others were gone. "Did Sarah give it to you?"

I guess I needed to hide the feather a bit better, but I wish I knew how. "No. It's just an accessory," I lied with a gulp.

Shaba gave me an *are-you-kidding-me* look, "We both know it's not. It's the feather of truth. I want to know how it is that you have it."

"I don't even know what the feather of truth is," I vowed pulling my arm from her tight grip. "I really need to get to class."

Shaba just shook her head, "Fine. It's not the feather of truth. That's good because if it was I'd be wondering how it wasn't burning you considering you're not a servant of Anubis. I might even go as far as saying you were a Chosen One too, but of course that's ridiculous. There can only be one Chosen One, it's in the name… Still, if it was the feather of truth, and you were somehow the Chosen One, I'd be willing to advice you in a few magic spells that could make the feather shrink so others, like your clueless Osirian, never know you have it on you. Too bad it's not the feather…that would have been fun."

Why that little… "Wait!" I called after the retreating girl. "I'm not saying it is this feather of lies or whatever, but I would like to learn some magic spells… maybe later we meet in the woods and you show me?"

Shaba smiled, "Nina Martin, it would be my honor to teach you magic."


	22. Chapter 22 House of Magic

Sorry for the late update…I'm making a TARDIS dress to enter in a cosplay contest and I don't know how to sew so…. Just wondering, did anyone not read at least the first Ring of Osiris fic, "The Ring of Osiris"? It doesn't actually matter, but I'm curious if anyone here hasn't.

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Chapter 22

House of Magic

"I was worried you wouldn't come," Shaba smiled once I appeared in the clearing. "Or that you planned on meeting in a different place and I just misheard you."

No. I'd just tried to be a rational person and not come, not trust Shaba. There was something about the girl…she just felt off. She was lying to me; that much I knew. How, then, do you trust someone you know is lying?

The answer is, you don't. "I got caught up leaving Anubis house."

Shaba nodded, not believing my lie. "Did your Osirian know you were about to do something very dangerous and try to stop you?"

Luckily, Eddie had gone to hide the scales and appeared to be out-of-range of my eminent danger beacon. "I don't have an Osirian, remember. It's Sarah who's the Chosen One."

"Right, I forgot," Shaba giggled into her pale hands. "Because you're not a Chosen One from the future, say 2012. That would be ridiculous." No matter how much I tried to hide it, I was no actress and the shock plastered my face. "Like I told you earlier, Nina. I have my sources."

Chills crept up my spine as I wondered what those 'sources' could possibly be. Who knew my true identity besides my friends and well…gods. "But you're human right? Not some ghost who's trying to possess me?"

"I'm as human as you are, Nina," Shaba smirked deliberately not answering my question. "But I'll understand if you don't want me teaching you how to shrink that feather which is totally not one of the most dangerous objects in creation."

Not the feather-of-truth my ass, but Shaba wasn't really giving me an option, was she? If she could spot the feather then anyone could spot the feather. "What do I have to do?"

"Simple," Shaba commanded smirking now that she knew I'd passed the point of no return. "Place the feather in one hand, cover it with the other, and repeat after me. Ipa."

Part of me wondered if this was still a load of crap, but the part of me that had been possessed won out and I did as Shaba requested. The feather felt warm in my hands, but the strange loss of control seemed to have dissipated almost as if I'd been desensitized to it. Shaking my head, I repeated the 'spell', "Ipa."

And nothing happened.

"See your problem if you don't believe," Shaba encouraged (either that or she was trying to win the most-cliché line award.) "God's can't do magic, not as you know it, because they are magic. It's only when a human being channels that celestial power, power they wouldn't normally have, that magic as you know it is expressed. Focus on the gods, focus on the feather's power, and focus on yourself and it will work."

I didn't even attempt to remind Shaba that I wasn't connected to Anubis as the Chosen one; she wouldn't have believed me anyway. Instead, I focused on what she said and tried to feel the pulse of the feather. Ba ba. Ba ba. Ba ba. Ba ba. Almost like the hearts it was weighed against.

"Ipa," I repeated to the feather's beat. Opening my eyes, I went to complain it wasn't working, when I saw what had happened. Brilliant gold light encircled my hands like the rings of Saturn. I was so shocked I almost dropped the feather, but a part of me, the chosen part of me, kept my hands steady. Shaba grinned as the light died down until nothing was left put a pin-sized feather I put back in my hair.

"I should teach you more of this…but I guess it's a given the Chosen One is a natural. Only the servants have godly grace within them, everyone else has to be given it. You have a gift, Nina. You need to use it."

Or I could not. "I'd prefer to just save it for times like these. Thanks for the lesson Shaba…but I don't think we should be friends."

"We shouldn't." She plainly stated. "We definitely shouldn't, but in my experience that won't stop us. If we want to be friends we will be."

Too bad I wasn't sure I wanted Shaba as a friend. "I've got to go. Thanks again."

"No problem," the girl smiled. "And Nina, I know you don't want to learn magic, and I can respect that, but there is one spell you may be interested in."

What? How to curl my hair? "What?"

"A spell that can send someone back to their proper place in time."


	23. Chapter 23 House of Betrayal

Do you want to know why I have over 5K views? Because y'all are absolutely fantastic and I really love you. Also, sorry if this is crap. I haven't got more than 4 hours a sleep all week.

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Chapter 23

House of Betrayal

I stopped dead in my tracks, "What do you mean?" Shaba couldn't actually be implying that she knew how to get us home; no one knew how to get us home. I wasn't even sure it was possible to get home.

"I know you and your friends are from the future," the girl brightly reminded me. (As if I could have forgotten). "And I know a spell that you could perform that would send all your friends to their proper place in time….there's just one catch."

I'd listened to Shaba's wording enough to be able to predict her next sentence, "I can't send myself back, can I? I'll be stuck here in 1932."

The blonde-girl nodded, "Yeah. Those who have the godly grace needed to perform magic aren't affected by magic. So you can't go back…and neither can your Osirian."

Eddie. Being stuck here myself would be terrible, but it was a price I was willing to pay. Yet Eddie didn't deserve this! He deserved to be back in 2012 with Patricia living a wonderful life. This spell would separate "Peddie" quite possibly forever.

"You don't need to give me an answer now," Shaba prompted with a weak smile. "I know it hard to think you'll never see your friends again, but you could send them where they belong. Sleep on it, okay, Nina? If you decide you want to do it you'll need to bring something of everyone going back here tomorrow at the same time and I'll show you what to do."

Shaba left me alone in the clearing to mull over my thoughts. She was right; I couldn't imagine never seeing my friends again, never seeing Fabian again. But at the same time…._Amber, Patricia, Fabian, they all have family waiting for them back home. If I don't do this and they don't get back then I caused them pain. I can't be so selfish as to put what I want ahead of what they need._

"Hey, there you are," Eddie called out causing me to jump. My Osirian stumbled into the clearing ready to speak when he saw my tear-stained face. "Nina, what's wrong?"

No matter what he'd be stuck here was well; Eddie deserved to know. "I know how to get back to 2012…"

"That's great!"

"But neither of us can go."

The fallen look on Eddie's face broke my heart. For a split second he thought everything was golden, but now he realized exactly what I did. No matter what we weren't leaving this time- but we could lose our friends the very next day. "So Amber, Patricia and Fabian…"

"They'd all go home safe and sound," I nodded jigging closer to the boy who'd sat on a log besides me. "But we can't go. It's a spell and because we have magic it won't work on us…"

Eddie nodded wrapping a comforting arm around me, "And by the time they're even born we're going to be long dead."

I felt confident in the assumption that most of this generation didn't live to see 81, never mind the 97 I'd be in 2012. "I so badly want to ask them what they'd like me to do, but I already know the answer. None of them would leave if I gave them the option, but how can I let them stay? They have families waiting for them! Alfie, Piper, their parents…everyone will be devastated without them."

"And so will we," Eddie wistfully reminded. "So will we."

Life without Fabian would be hell. There was no if, ands, or buts about it. "I don't want to let them go, but I feel like I need to. I need to send them back, send them home… Whatever happened to the right thing also being the easy thing?"

"You've always made the right choices, Nina. You struggled with the tunnels alone so no one else got hurt. You were going to go the Underworld just to protect everyone. You've been so selfless, maybe you deserve the chance to be selfish."

No. People don't get a selfish quota they can justly fulfill, "Eddie. If I send them home will you support me in my decision?"

"I'll miss Patricia more than I'd miss my own hand," Eddie sighed and I realized how much he did love her. "I always imagined I'd propose at graduation and then we'd get married right out of school…guess that's not going to be the case."

No. It didn't seem I'd get to live Fabian and my dream wedding either. "Tomorrow then. Tomorrow we disregard our friend's wishes and send them home. I guess tonight, tonight we say goodbye."

It wouldn't just be my friends I'd be saying goodbye to though; it would be my old life.

_I wonder if Fabian will laugh when he visits my grave and sees the death date before the birth._


	24. Chapter 24 House of Goodbyes

Sophiemacyd (Guest)-Shaba can't do magic…I'll leave it to your imagination as to why. Even if she could no one with magic (Nina or Eddie) can be effected by magic so it wouldn't work on them. As for praying to the gods…that's not really their style. Thanks for reading!

On another note, I dare 7 of you to review so we can reach 100 reviews! Just saying, it would be awesome if all 70 of you reviewed because it takes two seconds, but I won't hold my breath. Doctor Who made me do enough of that.

On with the tears! Wait, did I say tears? I meant tale…wait that means the same as tears.

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Chapter 24

House of Goodbyes

When people are dying, they always say they just wanted a few more minutes with those they loved.

I couldn't do that.

Everyone knew I was upset about some from the way I hid in my room, but they didn't come after me. I just couldn't look them in the eye knowing that tomorrow I'd send them home…and leave myself behind.

Still, I couldn't let them go without saying goodbye. They needed to know what they meant to me, and why I had to do this. And the only way they could ever know would be for me to send letters along.

_Dear Patricia,_

_ I don't really know what to say to you. I know you're pissed at me right now, and I'm surprised you're even still reading. I'm sorry I had to send you home, away from Eddie, but I didn't have a choice._

_ I couldn't let you stay here._

_ Of all of us, you belong here the least. By the time skirts get short again, you would be far too old to wear them. It's going to be 65 years before you can hear another Sick Puppies song! I just can't do that to you._

_ And I can't do it to Piper either. She's a nice girl Patricia, and she needs you. If I know anything it's that everyone needs you, even me, but I have to let you go and let everyone else have you._

_ We weren't friends at first, and as you read this you're probably wondering if we even are now. After all, friends don't ruin relationships like I'm about to ruin yours._

_ But I promise Patricia, I promise that you are my friend and that I will never, ever forget you. And I know Eddie won't either._

_ You don't have to forgive me but I love you,_

_Nina_

Reading over the words, I re-broke my heart, but knew I had to continue.

_Amber,_

_ You're my best friend in the whole wide world. I'm not even sure how that happens! You're so beautiful, and funny, and smarter than you'd like us to think, and I'm just me._

_ But you wanted to be my roommate. You prepared me for dates (and ruined them as well). You helped make Sibuna. You are the reason we're all alive._

_ And for that I'm making sure you get to live. I'm sending you home, to Alfie, to your life. Go to fashion school, live out your dreams, and be Amber Millington, my best friend, and the most amazing girl on the planet._

_ Know that I'll miss you. Every time I wonder what I should wear I'll think of you, think of how you'd just know, and I'll probably cry. Sending you away, sending you home, it hurts like Hell. _

_ I know you'll miss me, so know I'll miss you too. I'm sorry I won't be there to see Amfie junior, but I know s/he'll be amazing. You'll be amazing, and I'm not sorry I sent you home because it's what's best for you._

_You don't have to forgive me but I love you,_

_Nina_

As I sealed my friends, I looked down on the third sheet of paper. Fabian, my only love, the one I'd planned on having forever with. I didn't know what I would write, because nothing could explain how I felt about him. Nothing I could say would make it better, but I had to try.

_Fabian,_

_ The quest was long and difficult._

_ I sought treasure._

_ The treasure was you._

_Do you realize that I've never forgotten these words? I think of them every night as I go to sleep because I just can't understand them. How am I the treasure when you're…. you? I'm just a funny American who made all our lives difficult, and you're Fabian Rutter. Handsome, kind, intelligent, and the love of my life. _

_ You were the first person at Anubis house ever to like me. You were, and still are, my best friend. You didn't think I was a freak, even when I really am, and you loved me. As a child I didn't know people could love the way you love me._

_ But now I do know people can love like that, and not just because I'm on the receiving end. Because however much you love me Fabian, I know I love you more. I'd die to keep you safe…I'd send you home to keep you safe._

_ What sort of life can you have in 1932? You'll get drafted, go to war. You're not a soldier! You're a beautiful, brilliant, person, and you could never be a soldier. _

_ And you'd always be so afraid of altering the timeline by inventing something early that you'd never just let yourself fulfill you're potential. It doesn't matter what you do with your life; you'll do it brilliantly. Just like you love brilliantly._

_ You have so much love Fabian. You loved me so well, so I have a request for you. I don't deserve to ask anything, not when I'm causing you this pain, but I will. I'll be selfish and beg you to do something for me._

_ Someone out there there's a girl sitting behind a book. A book filled with a millions worlds and adventures. Find that girl. Find someone who's smart, beautiful, and wonderful. Find the girl who you can look at every day and be glad I sent you home just so you could know her._

_ Find that girl. Find the one who's your Chosen One, not Anubis'. Find her, and love her._

_Please, for me, find her._

_I hope you'll forgive me because I love you,_

_Nina_


	25. Chapter 25 House of Gone

Yes, I'm well aware that this isn't the Monday update I promised. I've been sick all week and still so busy….weekend updates will probably be all you're going to get for this story. Though I don't know how I can finish it in 8-9 chapters before I go on a month hiatus for NANO in November….Ugg anyway I'll stop complaining and just start writing until I can't write any more.

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Chapter 25

House of Gone

"Nina," Clara called the minute I dragged my feet into Anubis House. "Have you seen Patricia or Amber? I could have sworn they'd gone up to our room but I was just up there and I couldn't find them…"

No. Clara would never see her roommates again. They were back where they belonged.

They were gone.

"They went home," Eddie answered for me placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Fabian left as well."

Clara stared at us her eyes bulging, "All three of them just left? But their stuff is still here and they didn't say anything…"

"It's not like you were particularly close," I reminded the girl with a shrug. "You're always off looking for that boyfriend of yours in the city."

The words came out harsher than I meant, but it was true. Clara never seemed to be around the house. Ever since she saved some guy's life a few months back she could think of nothing but seeing him again. I think I heard her wonder what his name was more than anything else.

Clara stood like I'd slapped her, but she eventually nodded, "I just didn't expect them to go so suddenly… is someone coming back to pick up their stuff?"

"Nina and I said we'd ship it out to them," Eddie curtly sighed. "And we should go do that. Bye Clara."

The brunette might have conceded, but she didn't move for a long while after Eddie pulled me up the stairs. Still, I didn't have much time to think of her. I was far too busy throwing myself on my bed and sobbing.

I'd known what would happen once I did the (relatively easy) spell Shaba showed me. I'd known last night as I hid my letters that they'd be really and truly gone, but that didn't make me feel any better. I loved them all…and now they were gone.

And I had no one to blame but myself.

Eddie sat beside me silently, mourning his loss in a different way. We'd agreed that this was for the best- that sending them home was for the best- but it still hurt like Hell.

Especially when an angry Victor, Rufus, and Sarah appeared in my room.

"What happened?" Sarah asked looking between our blotchy faces. "Are they…did they…"

I shook my head, "They're not dead. I sent them home…but I couldn't send us as well."

Sarah didn't need me to say any more; she just sat beside me and pulled me into a tight hug. As much as I'd just wanted to be alone, I was glad for it. She reminded me that I hadn't lost all my friends because I had new ones. I had Sarah and Rufus and even (in an odd way) Victor-I wasn't alone.

"I'm going to miss them," Victor sighed and I realized that he maybe cared for Amber more than I thought. "But how? I thought you didn't know how to send them back?"

I didn't…until I met a witch. "I just found something in one of Robert's old books…and it worked. They all should be home."

"But not you," Rufus sympathetically whispered. "It didn't work on the two of you."

No. Magic would never work on Eddie and I; it was just another thing that made us freaks. "It's better this way. We still aren't sure why Renpet wanted Eddie and me here in 1932, but I know she still needs us to do something."

"I've been thinking about that," Rufus remarked pulling up a chair and sitting in it backwards. "I think it has something to do with the Feather of Truth you hid."

I hadn't realized Victor knew, but from the lack of shock on his face someone must have seen fit to mention it to him. Though nobody but Shaba realized it was in my hair. "I think it has something to do with my dreams," I confessed with a sigh. "Or nightmares I guess. I always wondered why it was just the four of us-sorry Victor- but it makes sense now. I mean alone it would be suicide for Victor to try and save us, so he wouldn't be there, and where I sent everyone back to 2012…"

"You think it's going to happen soon," Sarah nodded and I noticed the hairs on her arms standing on-edge. "You think we're going to end up kidnapped and chained in a dungeon…soon."

"Well obviously I hope I'm wrong!" I snapped annoyed that Sarah seemed to think I didn't know how bad our situation was. "But it makes sense. Whoever is holding us is looking for something-the feather. It's only us because everyone else is gone, and let's face it we don't look any older in the dreams…"

Rufus shook his head, "That's not true Nina. In the dreams you had this burn on your hand in the shape of a feat." He stopped us I held up the fresh burn I'd gotten while channeling the feather's power earlier to get my friend's home. It was all adding up. Everything was in place except our kidnappers.

"Oh my gods," Sarah cried burying her face in Rufus' chest. "We're all going to die."

"We're not going to die," Eddie growled. "We've gotten through worse. Nina knows someone who can teach all four of us to do magic. We'll learn, and when it happens we'll fight."

Victor, who I'd kinda forgotten was even there, just shook his head, "Wouldn't it be easier just to change the vision? If you four were to split up across the world…"

"Just because we're not all kidnapped doesn't mean none of us will be," I reminded him. "Eddie is right; we just need to learn how to fight. We'll get through this…all of us."

All of us minus those three who were already gone.


	26. Chapter 26 House of Truth

Did I do something wrong? The viewing figures for yesterday's chapter are way down and I barely got the one review I needed to post this! Please, if I did something wrong tell me so I can go and fix it.

If anyone here likes the Warrior cats feel free to go read and review my warriors story "The Rise of Eight." You might just like it. Now, on with the story.

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Chapter 26

House of Truth

Shaba's eyes looked like they were going to pop right out of her head. "This is just so…wow. I can't believe it. It's just…wow."

"Wow, what?" I muttered kicking a rock and wondering if this was such a good idea. The pagan girl had helped me with spells, but introducing her to everyone else…maybe, it wasn't such a good idea. I should have just let her teach me some defensive magic and then I taught everyone else. Still, it was too late now.

"It's just," the girl stammered with a wide grin. "It's just amazing. I mean I never imagined I'd meet one set of Servants never mind two! You four shouldn't even exist in the same time, but you do, and now I get to teach you. I mean I can't even do magic myself and I get to teach you."

Eddie scowled and looked over at me, "I thought you said she studied with Isis? How come she can't do magic."

Shaba pouted and the yellow lipstick that lined her mouth reminded me somewhat of a pelican as she spoke, "We can't all be Osiris' little pet now, can we? I may not be able to do magic per-say, but I can teach it. I got your friends home now, didn't I?"

"She did teach me how to do it," I defended with a shrug. "Look, why don't we give it a shot. If someone is coming after us…this is the only plan we've got."

Shaba smiled, so much so that the lipstick became unnerving, "Thanks Nina. Okay, now I need the four of you to partner up. Nina and Sarah together Eddie and Rufus together." The boy's concerned looks must have been noticed, because Shaba rolled her eyes, "You two are stronger physically so that's going to have to be a part of your training, but it's Nina and Sarah who really have strong magic."

"And you couldn't really fight me anyway," Sarah reminded her Osirian with a grin. "It's literally against your every nature to try and hurt me."

Sarah was right, but her words set me on edge, "We shouldn't even be trying to hurt each other anyways. If we fight back with violence we're no better than them. We just need to focus on defending ourselves."

Eddie looked like he thought I'd gone mad, and maybe I had. "Nina. We have to fight…they're going to kidnap us and chain us to a wall before torturing us for information. I think we're perfectly within our right to kill them just as we did Ruf…"  
I tried to shoot my Osirian a look, but it was too late. Rufus and Sarah had heard what Eddie went to say, but they sure as Hell didn't understand. "What do you mean kill me? When did you kill me? Better yet, why did you kill me?"

"He means a different Rufus…" I lied stepping in front of Eddie as if it was my job to protect him. "There was this nutty guy, Rufus, in our time…he was obsessed with finding the Cup of Ankh and drinking from it even though he knew doing so would kill someone else… And then we thought he was dead, but he actually was trying to steal the Mask of Anubis and he put it on and…and died. But it was a different Rufus."

Rufus didn't believe me, and I didn't blame him. I'd always been a horrible lair, "Then why didn't Eddie just say that in the first place? Why didn't you want him to say anything at all?"

"I…" I stuttered as the infuriated teen stepped closer looking far too much like the man who'd terrorized me. Eddie stepped in his way, and I was afraid we'd have an all out brawl of Osirians on our hands before Sarah spoke.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP!" she bellowed eyes fuming. "You're being ridiculous. Nina, are you lying?"

_No, Nina. __Say no._ "Yes," I conceded falling to the ground in frustration. "It was you Rufus… but it wasn't you. I mean you can change it. We probably already have changed it just by being here. The Rufus we knew, the Rufus who kidnapped us, tortured us-that isn't you…Sarah said a Servant drinking the Elixir would make them crazy. That man, that Rufus, was crazy."

The angry smirk on Rufus' face gave way to horror, "I, I kidnapped you?"

"Just me," Eddie shrugged trying to make this seem light. "And Patricia, and Victor, and Jerome but you don't know him…oh and Trudy!"

I think the harsh reality crushed Rufus more than he could imagine, "No wonder Patricia never did look me in the eye…I'm a horrible person."

"You're not a horrible person," Sarah whispered sitting down on the log next to him. "The person who did that is horrible, yes, but that isn't you. That won't be you. So long as you never drink the elixir none of that will ever happen."

Rufus still shook his head, "But I have that capability in me. If I was to go mad then that would be me."

"We all have evil within us," I reminded him sitting close enough that Rufus knew I wasn't scared of him. "Every one of us has the capability to do something horrible, but if we chose not to, if you chose not to drink the elixir, that madness within us will fade into the background of our minds until we forget it's there."

Rufus looked up at me a terrified smile lining his lips, "You're not scared of me. After all I've done you still think I'm good."

"When I first got here I was terrified," I admitted, "But I look at you and Sarah and I know that you are truly a beautiful person Rufus Zeno. Even the mad version of you cared about Sarah enough that you paid for her; you visited her, up 'till the end."

Rufus smiled, but I wondered if he believed my words. "This just proves why we shouldn't just attack whoever will kidnap us," I sighed looking over to Eddie. "We don't know why they did it; we don't know if they had any control over their actions. I don't want to be the better person. I just want to be a good one."

"Nina Martin," Shaba whispered reminding us of her presence. "You're the best to ever live."


	27. Chapter 27 House of the Law

So, I'll let you in on a little secret, we'll probably reach 6K views before I have time to write again, so, if y'all are really nice to me, (aka leave many reviews), I might post the first one-shot featuring Amber's reaction to Nina's letter!

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Chapter 27

House of the Law

I awoke to the thumping of Mr. Rodenmaar on our door. Sarah, who, to nobody's surprise, had been up for hours already, shrugged before going to get it. My groggy mind didn't process the brief conversation, but I did realize Sarah left with him. _What's going on?_

Considering that this house was often filled with questions, I didn't think much of it-not even when I walked past Mr. Rodenmaar's office and found it empty.

I did, however, begin to feel a bit jumpy when I noticed Rufus's convenient absence as well. Especially when I noticed the beads of sweat gathered on Eddie's forehead. "Where's Rufus?"

"Didn't you hear?" Clara balked as if it was the news of the century. (Wait a few years hon, I already know what that noteworthy news will be.) "Sarah and Rufus were taken down to the precinct for questioning!" Precinct? As in the police precinct? What could they possibly be questioned about…

"Miss Martin, my office please," Mr. Rodenmaar spit from behind me. Of course-this was his doing. But what was the end goal? Surely he wasn't the one I needed to hide the feather from, right?

If Victor had always made sure we were uncomfortable, his father wanted us miserable. The freezing corridors felt like saunas in comparison to the icy frost that covered the room, and the chairs' wood was warped to make the perfect sitting position impossible. Mr. Rodenmaar wanted us uncomfortable because all he cared about was getting us to talk. "Undoubtedly you've been informed that Sarah Frobisher-Smythe and Rufus Zeno have been arrested under suspicion of possession of stolen goods." I hadn't known the charges, but I nodded anyway. It's not like either of us believed this was actually about whatever they were 'harboring'.

"What I'm sure you don't know is that the items in question are my property stolen from me by Sarah's parents and hidden somewhere within this house." So that's how he got the police on-board. The little slimeball. "As Miss Smythe's roommate, I was hoping you might know where these little objects are. To be honest, I wouldn't like to see your friends arrested, and I could have the charges dropped if I just knew where everything was."

I take that back. Mr. Rodenmaar wasn't a slimeball; he was a dick. "How, sir, could I tell you where these items are if I don't know what you're looking for?" I finally gulped out. Heaven knows why I even harbored the idea of helping him, but this house hid many treasures and most of them would be harmless in Mr. Rodenmaar's hands.

He, however, saw it as a sign of self-preservation over loyalty. "You're a smart girl Miss Martin. You know how to do the right thing. I'm looking for many things, all of which are rightfully mine, but I think we both know what I need the most right now." Don't say the feather. Don't say the feather. Don't say the feather. "I'm looking for the Mask of Anubis."

I was so relieved that he hadn't asked for the feather, I didn't even think twice about my answer, "I can help you get that."

"I thought you could," Mr. Rodenmaar grinned causing a chill to creep down my spine. "And you'll help me get it in exchange for dropping the charges on your friends?"

I nodded, "Yes, but it will do you no good. The mask only works on the righteous."

Mr. Rodenmaar laughed, "How little you think of me Miss Martin. I'll call the station now and I'm sure Rufus and Sarah will be on time for afternoon classes. Tonight you'll get me the mask."

"It's well protected," I warned knowing just how true that was. "I doubt I'll be able to get it in just one night or even with the two of us."

Mr. Rodenmaar pinched his forehead, but eventually nodded, "I don't know how you know all this Miss Martin, but I will take your advice. Anyone who knows about the Mask already is welcome to come…and make sure Miss Smythe is there. Her particular talents may prove useful tonight and I do want the mask tonight."

I should have stayed silent, but I don't often do the wise thing. "Is there a reason for your haste?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Mr. Rodenmaar grinned dismissing me with his eyes. Easily I jumped from my chair and disappeared downstairs to find Eddie and ask him what the heck I'd just gotten us into.


	28. Chapter 28 House of Morality

I'll be honest with you guys; I've had time to write. I've had lots and lots of time really, it's kind of scary. Yet I haven't updated in a week. Why? Because I haven't been sure what I was going to do with this chapter. But after consulting my focus group I've made my decision, and I hope y'all like it.

So if you're glad to see and update thank the amazing Violinrocker 12 and April243.

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Chapter 28

House of Morality

If you know someone is evil, is it up to you to stop them?

In the case of most people, I'd say no. It's not up to the average high school senior to go to the Middle East and stop ISIS, and it shouldn't be. I'm not saying no one should stop them, stop the evil, but maybe sometimes it just isn't your problem.

Yet, what does it mean to stop them? Kill them? If that's the case, how are you any better than they are?

The answer is you're not, but that doesn't mean you should let them live.

When I'd first met Mr. Rodenmaar he was a ghost. He was supposed to be a ghost, and if my gut feelings meant anything (which they always do) tonight is the day he should die. But, I could stop him. I could win the Senet game and save him.

Or I could just leave him down there to rot, which as I'd soon discover was what he deserved.

I'd tried to get some sleep before heading down into the tunnels, but my mind wouldn't shut off. Normally during times like this I'd go to Fabian and talk to him. Just his voice could lull me to sleep, but he was gone now. I'd sent Fabian away and while it was for the best...What's right in your mind is usually whatever hurts most in your heart.

Mr. Rodenmaar, for what had to be the first time in his life, didn't send us all to bed at 10 o'clock. Clara was in her room and as for the rest of us there would be no gentle sleep.

No one spoke as Mr. Rodenmaar forcefully unlocked the basement and led us down. To no one's surprise, the old Caretaker knew how to get into the antechamber, but there he motioned for me to take over. Eddie flashed me a look and I only shrugged before grabbing the amulets.

"Of course," Mr. Rodenmaar mused. "How could I be so stupid. Amulets for protection."

I only nodded unwilling to give him the iota of pleasure that my response would bring. He wanted to push me and see just who I was. Mr. Rodenmaar was not to find out who I was.

"How did you say you know what to do again?" Mr. Rodenmaar asked as I smashed the cube to re-assemble it. "Did Robert tell you Sarah?"

Sarah's voice was harsh when she spoke, and I couldn't help but think of the accusations she'd recorded as a child. Even when she was old Sarah had muttered about Mr. Rodenmaar having killed her parents, and we really never got proof he didn't.

From the way even his own son looked at him, there probably wasn't any proof to be found.

"Wouldn't it just be easier if we broke the door instead of doing this hopscotch?" Rufus grumbled as he tried to match my pattern. Eddie offered me a look before slamming his hand into the lever stopping it so Sarah and Victor could pass under easily. As we walked away, I noticed Mr. Rodenmaar glance back as if wondering where Eddie's super-human strength had come from; the lever was made of solid stone. _Don't think about it. Don't think about it._ I willed. Shaking his head, Mr. Rodenmaar moved on leaving me to wonder. Was it just a coincidence or…or was this just another manifestation of my power.

No. I couldn't possibly have the power of persuasion. Even by my standards that was a bit absurd.

"Please tell me there's another way across," both Victors remarked upon seeing the chasm. Shaking my head, I smiled. If only they knew.

"When we did it there were sharpened pendulums trying to cut us in half. I lost an eyebrow going through."

"When you did it?" Mr. Rodenmaar questioned. "So you've done this before. Tell me Miss Martin, why are all the traps set if you've already done them?"

Oh shit. "Um…"

"You don't need to answer him," Eddie growled stepping between me and the man. "You don't need to do any of this."

I shook my head. I did need to do this... and not just to keep Sarah and Rufus out of prison. Mr. Rodenmaar was going to get the Mask one way or another. I just needed him to believe the Mask he got was the real one. Plus, plus I needed to see how he died getting the Mask…and decide if I should let him.

"I know a few things, okay?" I told Mr. Rodenmaar blocking his path. "And you asked for me to get you the Mask so I'd suggest you button up your lip and let me get you the Mask!"

Everyone stared in awe, but I saw the slight nod of Victor Jr.'s head. I hadn't quite gauged their relationship, yet I doubted it was a healthy one. Mr. Rodenmaar's only friend was the paddle, and Victor got hit the most.

Mr. Rodenmaar looked furious at my words, but eventually he just nodded. One by one we crossed the chasm, and I found myself secretly hoping Mr. Rodenmaar would fall and we could be done with it.

Then I found myself shocked that I didn't feel bad for my thoughts.

"How did you get through to help me with the feather," I whispered to Eddie as Mr. Rodenmaar's balance continued to falter. "The pendulums seem like the only one deactivated."

Eddie shook his head and cast a backwards glance at where Sarah and Rufus chatted nervously, "Her dad built this place to protect her. Robert figured that if no one could get the Mask they'd have no need for a Chosen One. For Sarah. The Osirian's only purpose is protecting the Chosen One, so I guess whatever magic we emit cancels out the traps."

"Why are they back on now then?"

Eddie smiled, "Because for once you're not the one in trouble." He must have read my look because Eddie continued quickly, "On the plane back to Kennedy Airport last year you explained all your adventures to me. Honestly Nina, you could make two seasons of a television show out of what you told me. And while I acted like I wasn't listening I heard every word you said. I heard what you said about learning the word Osirian; I know it was Mr. Rodenmaar's ghost that told you. He dies down here, right? And you think it's tonight?"

Mr. Rodenmaar spared me from having to answer, but the words hung in the air anyway. _I know tonight's the night he should die; the question is will I let him?_


	29. Chapter 29 House of Tasks

Have I ever mentioned that you guys are awesome? Oh and I'll be 100% honest and say this is a pretty boring chapter, but it did have to be written.

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Chapter 29

House of Tasks

"What do we do now?" Rufus asked staring at the closed door in front of us. "I don't see any challenge."

No, this wasn't the type of challenge you just see, "See that tunnel? Inside there is a lever that you pull. Give me a minute."

"Hold up," Eddie called grabbing my shoulder. "Isn't this the fear test? You don't have to do this Nina; I will?"

The sentiment was nice, but I wasn't actually born in 1915. "You may be my protector," I whispered in reminder. "But you don't have to protect me from everything. You're way too big to fit; I'm the smallest of us so it makes sense for me to do it. Anyways, I'm the only one whose practiced dealing with my fears. I'll be fine."

Eddie clearly didn't like the idea of me doing this, but my logic was well, logical. Anyone could see just how tight the tunnel got, and considering I'd lost weight since I went in there last year it was logical for me to do it now. Dropping to the ground I pulled myself into the darkness quickly wishing I'd brought a flashlight. _It doesn't matter anyways. Whatever magic Robert used to find our deepest fears knows the dark is one of mine._

Magic. Last year when completing these tasks, I'd often wondered how they worked. Robert was a genius, no doubt about it, but I didn't think even geniuses could make lockets that only work for the Servants and glow magically around locks. No, Robert Frobisher-Smythe probably used magic to protect his daughter, and in an odd way that meant he must have had some godly powers as well. Was Robert the Chosen One of his day? Unfortunately, he was dead and I'd never know.

Unless I asked him when I died as well, which considering my line of work would probably be sooner rather than later.

I wasn't even a foot in the tunnel before I realized that my fears had changed. None of my surroundings bothered me, but the words in my head, which, unfortunately, were now mine.

_Chosen One_. The voice taunted. _How can you be the Chosen One? All you do is get people killed. And those who die are the lucky ones. They don't have to stick around as you ruin their lives like you do everyone. You're a disease Nina, a callous disease. If you'd just taken the hint and not gone back to school, none of this would have happened. Time would have been as it should be and your friends would all be happily together in 2012._

_ But if you had Rufus would be dead and evil. _I repeated in my mind trying to block out the dark thoughts._ You've saved Rufus and given him and Sarah a future together. You've made more lemonade than anyone, and you do it well._

_ "_I do it well," I whispered as my hand clamped onto the lever and pulled it down. Breathing a sigh of relief I backed out quickly and found myself in Eddie's arms quickly. "I'm okay," I told him realizing that he felt all the terror I had. "None of it was real."

Eddie nodded looking relieved, but I realized we weren't out of the woods yet. That task was the least of our problems for the danger we faced was actually real, and highly deadly. Deadly as the red thread I now faced.

I hadn't been very good at it the first time around, but without Fabian to help me Eddie, Sarah and I would have to do. Carefully I removed the baby spiders I'd grabbed earlier and handed one to each of my friends, "Remember I don't know what the red does, but I'm pretty sure it'll kill us?"

"Kill is?" Rufus repeated eyes bright. "By God Sarah what was your father thinking."

Sarah shook her head, "I don't think he was. He didn't want anyone getting this Mask."

Mr. Rodenmaar snorted a laugh, "Well Robert never was one to get his wishes. Move along now, we don't have all night."

Technically, we did, so the three of us moved cautiously to our posts. To my great relief, the door opened quickly only a few silver-stings later. (Most of which came from Eddie being a cluts.)

Next we reached the chemical chamber, and I stopped dead in my tracks. Had we really solved this before, or was I going to doom us all by just relying on what I knew. "I don't know how to solve this one." Everyone, Eddie especially, looked at me shocked. Mr. Rodenmaar looked so close to hitting me that I moved to explain quickly, "I mean I know we have to take 6 chemicals and put them in those wholes to open the door, but I'm not quite sure which ones."

Mr. Rodenmaar scowled, but looked over the words on the wall in haste, "Well then all of this has been useless because I have no idea."

"It's actually quite simple," Victor whispered and 10 eyes looked at his in surprise. Moving quickly the shy boy picked out the six bottles and easily mixed them together. A brilliant light flooded the tube as the door opened and I realized I'd made the right call. Whatever we'd done last year hadn't opened the door; it really was Victor. (At least now I understood why Senkara was so mad.)

"How did you do that?" Mr. Rodenmaar asked glaring at his son. "How did you know the proper chemicals?"

Victor shrugged lightly, but a smile lined his cheeks, "It's all in the clues. I've done some research on alchemy and I just knew it."

Mr. Rodenmaar didn't say anything, and Victor's face deflated. For once he'd done something truly amazing, yet his father still didn't acknowledge it. "Well I think it was brilliant," Rufus praised clapping his friend on the back. "Nice one."

Pulling out the ox-bell I'd barrowed from Clara, (Heaven knows why she had one), I stepped in front of the horns. "None of you happen to know the Song of Hathor, right?"

It didn't surprise me a bit that Sarah, Mr. Rodenmaar, and Victor all knew it. Each taking one horn, we quickly played the tune ending with the cowbell. I almost panicked when the door didn't open immediately, but finally it creaked and I could breathe again. "Mr. Rodenmaar, you have your pocket watch on you, correct? He nodded, and I took the watch to place it with the other reflectors in each hand.

"Wait a minute, those hands weren't there last time," Eddie realized and whispered in my ear. "Patricia had me solve a task on a date! I knew something was up."

To be honest I was now surprised his Osirian senses weren't activated then in there, but apparently my mortal danger from Senkara wasn't quite mortal enough yet.

"This is a Senet board," Mr. Rodenmaar realized as we stepped closer. "And there's the Mask."

I nodded; yup, there was the so incredibly real Mask we'd all risked our lives for. "We have to play our way across."

Mr. Rodenmaar didn't seem to like that, and when Sarah spoke I knew why, "But we're fighting my dad. No one could beat my dad and he taught us all to play."

"That's not true," Rufus kindly reminded her. "The last time you two ever played you won. We can be the pieces and Sarah will direct us. We'll all get across safely, get the Mask, and be fine."

The little color left in Sarah's face quickly paled, "Just because I won once doesn't mean I can win again! What, what happens if I don't get you across safely?"

"You will," I assured her despite knowing that wouldn't be the case. "I trust in you."

Sarah shook her head, but we all knew we didn't have a choice. Mr. Rodenmaar wasn't going to let us leave without the Mask. "Alright then," Sarah conceded. "Nina, take one step forward."


	30. Chapter 30 House of Righteous

Hello my awesome people. Thank you for reviewing like always, and I hope you don't mind this chapter too much that you stop reading. Also, I apologize if i make any mistakes in references to the show. I haven't seen it since last June and I can get confused.

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Chapter 30

House of Righteous

"Mr. Rodenmaar take a step forward," Sarah nervously whispered from the chair upon which she sat. The greasy-haired man looked back quizzically, and the girl gulped out quickly, "I know it's a danger square, but you should be safe. There's no other way for you to go."

No, no there wasn't, but Sarah was using the same path Fabian had; the path that got Alfie stuck in that wretched room. If I was right, then now was the moment he'd be lost… which meant I had about 2 minutes to decide whether or not I was going to let him die down there.

"I'm going to be on a danger square as well," I prompted the man before realizing I'd said the same thing to Alfie. "We don't care about the Mask. If you want it you need to risk your life as well for it."

Mr. Rodenmaar scowled but made the move anyway. None to my surprise the god statues swiveled to reveal a giant whole beneath Mr. Rodenmaar's feet. The look on his eyes promised vengeance, but I looked away as he fell into the ground while Sarah screamed. "Oh my god. I've killed him."

"He's not dead," I told her calmly. "It leads to a tunnel. Listen."

Sarah's dad was already speaking over us, and hearing his voice made her legs quake even more, "My warnings ignored now come to cost. Continue the task and all will be lost. But if fallen friends you wish to reclaim, you have no choice but to finish the game."

"You knew this would happen," Victor whispered from the safe square he stood on. "You knew all along, but you didn't try to stop him."

Was Victor angry? No. But his hollow voice made my skin crawl. Why hadn't I stopped him and just said the Mask was fake. _If someone is so desperate for power that they'd die for it they don't deserve to live._

No. I wouldn't let that be the case. I just wouldn't. "Yes, I knew he'd fall, but that's okay. We…we can change the future. If we finish this game we can get the key that will save him. We have no need for the Mask…it's not real anyways."

"But he thinks it's real. If we save him, my father won't stop until he has the Mask. He wants immortal life and needs tears of gold to have it," it terrified me that Victor was fighting against my saving his dad. Was Mr. Rodenmaar really that evil a man? Surely he had to have some redemptive quality, even if it was less visible than the Victor I knew.

Eddie shook his head, "He's not getting the tears. I'm not letting you put any Mask real or not real on Nina. Not after what happened last time…and I might not be your Osirian Sarah but I'm not about to let you do it either."

"He killed my parents," Sarah growled from deep within her throat. "I know he did. Let the man die down there alone; he deserves it."

Sarah had always been so kind that her harsh words shocked me. "Do you have any proof though? I know you Sarah, you believe it now but the second you let Mr. Rodenmaar die you'll wonder if maybe, just maybe he was innocent. And Victor, he's your father! How can you just let him die?"

"He's a horrible person!" Victor bellowed touching his scarred arms. "He deserves to die a painful death."

"NOBODY DESERVES TO DIE A PAINFUL DEATH!" I screamed as hot tears stained my face. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE DOWN THERE! IMAGINE NEVER SEEING LIGHT AGAIN AND YOUR THROAT BURNS AND YOUR STOMACH IS DIGESTING ITSELF! THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONDEMNING HIM TO. HE'LL DIE TERRIFIED AND IN UNIMAGINABLE PAIN! IF WE LET THAT HAPPEN TO HIM WE'RE NOT AS BAD AS HE. WE'RE WORSE."

The words quickly faded, but the sheer force of my voice echoed into each of our thoughts. Up until this moment, I'd been ready to let Mr. Rodenmaar die, but I remembered what it was like down there and I couldn't do that. I wouldn't wish a death that horrible on anyone. Not Senkara, not evil Rufus, and definitely not Mr. Rodenmaar.

"Okay then," Sarah whispered. "If you're so sure then that we're doing the right thing go two squares to your right Nina."

I did so, and as the statue came to face me, I only prayed that Sarah wasn't so angry she'd forced me to die on purpose.


	31. Chapter 31 House of Set

I do not deserve you kind wonderful people when I'm so terrible about updating. Thank You.

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Chapter 31

House of Set

Considering his age, I wasn't much surprised when I awoke to find Mr. Rodenmaar still unconscious. Still, in an odd way, it bugged me. We were stuck down here because of him, and he couldn't even have the courtesy to wake up? Then again, I still wasn't sure he wasn't a murderer.

_Maybe it is better if he just stays asleep a little longer. At least until they can win the game and free me?_

I knew I'd be seeing my friends soon, but I was surprised when I heard their voices outside the door. _How on earth have they finished the game already?_ "Nina! Nina are you in there?" Eddie cried pounding his first against the door. A rush of relief flooded through me as I realized that I really was free.

"Yeah, we're in here," I called back to a chorus of cheers. "Just open the door!" Eddie must have already been on that, because I was embraced in a tight hug before the words had even finished leaving my mouth.

"Thank God you're okay," the blonde Osirian sighed in relief. "I was so worried."

I looked down at my watch, "It's been five minutes Eddie; of course I'm okay."

"Nina I'm so sorry," Sarah whispered and I realized she'd been crying. Here I'd been wondering if she did this on purpose and the girl was beating herself up over it. "I thought I could beat my dad but I couldn't."

Wait, she couldn't? "But if you didn't win the game then how…"

"Eddie," Rufus smiled as he slapped the boy on the back. "Second you went down he kicked into gear and knew exactly where we needed to move. It was amazing."

That didn't surprise me. Even when he wasn't being all Osirian Eddie was pretty amazing. "Thank you," I told him truly meaning it. "Not just for this…but for everything. Thank you."

Eddie waved it off, but I could tell he was glad to get recognized for his work. He's saved my life so often, and sure, that was his job, but I hadn't been particularly grateful. _You've always been too scared to be friends with Eddie because you know the Osirian Chosen One thing freaks Fabian out. Now you're being honest with yourself and you're realizing just how much you need him…If in a different way from how you need Fabian. _

"Can someone help me move my dad?" Victor Jr. asked out of breath from trying to do it himself. Rufus and Eddie both went over to help, but Sarah stopped them first.

"Victor, I didn't know your dad had a tattoo."

Victor scowled as he looked closer, only to jump back with a yowl. "My dad doesn't… this isn't a tattoo," he gulped. "It's the mark of Set."

I didn't know as much Egyptian mythology a I should have considering my lifestyle, but I knew who Set was. "It's like what Senkarah gave me," I told them my knees quivering. "When I worked for her."

The two Osirians quickly went from wanting to help the man up, to looking ready to murder him. Apparently even Eddie knew who Set was. "Tie him up," he hissed. "And then we're going to wake him up and get some answers."


	32. Chapter 32 House of Torture

Thank you, as always, to my wonderful reviews. I promise I will try to get back to a regular updating schedule. And I mean regular as in frequent, not consistent, because who wants that? Also I should note that this story is about to get darker. I'm not going to change it to M, because really it isn't, but be forewarned. If Hannibal can be TV 14 then so can this.

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Chapter 32

House of Torture

If I was Mr. Rodenmaar I'd have been terrified to awake tied to a chair and surrounded by 5 furious teenagers, but he just took it in stride. "Maybe you aren't as daft as I first suspected," he chuckled looking down at his revealed mark. "But are you so naïve as to think I will just give you the answers you're looking for?"

"Mr. Rodenmaar, we don't expect you to give us anything," Rufus told him a malicious grin lining his cheeks. "But that doesn't mean we're not going to take it."

Panic rose within me as I stared at the boy and for the first time saw my Rufus… Eddie must have seen it too because he pulled the boy aside where I couldn't hear the conversation.

Mr. Rodenmaar cackled before eying me with interest. "Even now there is dissent among you, but you need not torture me. I will give you the answer to whatever you want to know." Was that so? "On one condition?"

My brows tightened at the mention of his condition. Something told me I wasn't going to like it much. "What do you want?"

"You answer one question truthfully," he proposed leaning back with a sly smile. "One question for all the answers you want; more than a fair trade I'd say."

Eddie didn't seem to agree, "It depends on the question you ask. Pick your question and then we'll decide."

I already knew what he'd ask. We all knew what he'd ask, but we needed to be sure. "Miss Martin, are you the Chosen One?"

"No."

Eddie bobbed his head and loomed over Mr. Rodenmaar, "We answered your question now talk."

Mr. Rodenmaar shook his head and leaned back in the wooden chair. "I said Miss Martin had to answer my question truthfully. I don't believe her."

"You're a dick," Victor told his father with a long-overdue slap on the face. "And abusive, manipulative, bastard." Victor then turned to me, as if I was their leader. (Which I guess somehow I was.) "We either let him go and never get answers, or we get them the hard way."

Hard way... As in torture. "It's your decision Nina," Eddie whispered placing hand on my shoulder.

"My choice?" Why did it have to be my choice? "Why not Sarah's- he killed her parents. Or Victor- he's your father. Or any of you really, why me?"

The biggest difference between this Rufus and the one in the future was the guilt that came with the acceptance in his eyes. "Nina, he knows. If we let him go he's going to go to…to Set. You're the one who's going to get hurt… you and Sarah."

So we really didn't have a choice, did we? My eyes must have shown my decision because Rufus moved Sarah behind him. "You two should go. We can handle this."

I wanted to go, run away and pretend I didn't know what was happening but I couldn't. "The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword."

"I didn't know you watched 'Game of Thrones'," Eddie remarked looking surprised. I gave him a *are we really going to talk about this now?* look when Sarah spoke clearly confused.

"What is a game of thrones?"

I shook my head; now really wasn't time for this conversation. "It's a TV show. Don't worry about it."

"What's a TV show?" Rufus asked a sly smile on his face. I gave them all a look. Did they forget we'd just agreed to freaking TORTURE a man?

Eddie, however, found the ironic situation amusing, "It's like a film you watch on a little screen in your house. Give it a decade, you'll understand."

"So that's how there are multiple Chosen Ones," Mr. Rodenmaar answered with a grin. "You're from the future. Little run in with Renpet, huh?"

Renpet? "What do you know of Renpet?" I asked moving closer to the man.

Mr. Rodenmaar chuckled as if not the slightest bit afraid of us. "Oh, not much. She's not a goddess one meets at bars."

That was…oddly specific and Victor thought so too. "Is that where you met Set, a bar?"

Finally Mr. Rodenmaar began to sweat, it appeared he'd said a bit too much and he began to clamp up. Eddie moved forward and before I could even second-guess my decision, Eddie punched the man in the eye. Unfortunately, that just made Mr. Rodenmaar laugh. "My late wife hit harder than that whenever I reminded her of her feminine duties."

"You mean when you raped her and got her so pregnant shame forced her to marry you?" Victor spit in his father's face. From the confused looks on Rufus and Sarah's face they hadn't know this little fact either.

"Semantics," Mr. Rodenmaar grinned pleased to have gotten a rise out of his son. "Never the less I will not be speaking. You are children, you don't have the guts for torture."

"Is that so?" Rufus asked pulling out a switchblade. Sarah gasped in surprise, but no one made a move to stop him as he dug the blade into Mr. Rodenmaar's thigh. The man let out a startled grunt, but took the pain in stride.

"Keep. Going." He whispered grinning as blood dripped from his nose. "If you had the stomach to kill me you'd have left me down here to die in the first place."

That was before we knew he was working for Set. This wasn't like me working for Senkara; I didn't have a choice then. No, Mr. Rodenmaar wanted to working for the chaos god…and I doubted this was a new arrangement.

To everyone's surprise, Sarah let out a thick growl and pulled the knife from her boyfriends hand and dug it into the man's other thigh twisting it as she went. Crimson blood splurted out with a gurgle covering Sarah's face, but she didn't care. "You murdered my parents. I have no sympathy for you."

"I dispatched of a nuisance," the man gritted looking down at his oozing veins. "Your father discovered my secret. He knew I wanted the Cup for myself and the Mask for my master. There was only one course of action really."

Mr. Rodenmaar was like; I should never have convinced them to continue the game. "And my mother," Sarah choked the blade dripping blood on her white slippers.

The grin that lined Mr. Rodenmaar's face assured he belonged by Set's side. "She was a pleasant bonus."

Rufus had to grab Sarah's arms to keep her from plunging the stained blade into the caretaker's neck. "We still need answers," Rufus kindly whispered. "After you can have him." Sarah pulled away furious, but she didn't go back to the man. "I'm going to take Sarah and I back upstairs. We can cover for you."

For once, Sarah didn't fight him; probably, because she knew the man would be dead if she stayed.

Once the two were gone, Victor, Eddie and I closed in around the man. "What does Set want with the Mask," Eddie asked the blade at the ready. Mr. Rodenmaar looked down, clearly not ready to answer, so Eddie ran the silver edge across Mr. Rodenmaar's torso. I looked to Victor, to see if the treatment of his father bothered him, but the man only looked like he wanted the blade himself.

"What does Set want with the Mask?" Victor repeated after smashing in his father's nose.

"I can't say!"

"My ever faithful servant," a chilling voice whispered. "What a gift you've brought me."

A shiver crept down my spine:Set.


	33. Chapter 33 House of Traitors

So I just realized I have a week to get this finished before I go on my month long hiatus to do NANO… luckily I'm almost done. Hope you enjoy my ending!

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Chapter 33

House of Traitors

My dreams didn't tend to come true, but my nightmares always did.

Last thing I remembered was Set showing up, but we must have somehow been knocked out because I woke up I chains. My wrists weren't half as cut up as in the vision all those months ago, but there was no doubting it was the same place.

"Get Set in here you bastards," I called out waking my still-unconscious friends. Everyone turned to me confused, but I used my legs to point to the shadow on the barred doors. Someone was watching and I just needed to get his or her attention. "What do you want with us? AND WHERE'S VICTOR?"

"Shut up," a masculine voice called through the bars. "We'll be asking the questions here."

Oh. Great. That's what everyone says in a movie before they torture you. "Come in here you spinless fool and tell me that yourself," I growled. My baiting worked, and a skinny blonde guy stepped in to slap me across the face. Eddie struggled against his straight jacket, but they designed it to constrain him. Everyone knew how dangerous an angry Osirian could be. Spitting blood from my mouth I turned towards the man, "Where's Set."

"Set is gone," an all-too-familiar voice called stepping into the room. Shaba looked as if she'd just come from classes, and considering her uniform she probably had. What she was doing here… "Oh, sorry. I should probably introduce myself."

"We know who you are," Sarah spat (quite literally). "Shaba the manipulative bitch."

Shaba only wiggled her white eyebrow, "Oh. Someone's gotten feisty. Imprisonment always brings out the best in a woman. Hello my friends, it's time we were properly introduced. I'm Henet, the very unappreciated pelican goddess, and we just saved your lives." Wait, what? "You see Set was about to kill you when I stepped in to save your life. You owe me everything, so I don't think your cooperation is too much to ask for."

Of course. How else had Shaba known my name before we were introduced? How else had she known spells but been unable to use them? My new found friend was a goddess and I was a naïve idiot. "Don't feel too bad," she told me seeing the look on my face. "Sure, I was using you, but at least I was nice about it. Unfortunately…my kindness won't spread to the present if you don't answer our questions. So, who would like to go first?"

We'd tortured Mr. Rodenmaar, but that was nothing compared to what Shaba, Henet, whatever her name was did to us. She picked Sarah first, and from the bloody state she was in upon return I knew what would come for me. "They're crazy Nina," Sarah coughed out blood dripping to the floor. "They think we have some scales and some feather… I don't know why."

Why was Shaba asking about the feather? She already knew where it was. I turned to my hair to double check and sure enough it hung there as always. Why hadn't Shaba taken it away when she knew the power?

_Gods can't steal another god's power._ I remembered. _Shaba can't take the feather because she can't touch it. Her minions must be gods too because she hasn't had them take it._

It made sense, of course, but I wasn't sure how she planned on getting any of it if she couldn't take it. Does she really think I'll just give it to her?

"You're next," the blonde minion told me with a sickening grin. Without a word, I let him unchain me and lead me down dark hallways. I would not scream. I would not cry. I would not tell them anything.

"Where are the Scales of truth?" the man asked and I just shook my head. Pain so encompassed my being I wasn't sure I could have answered if I wanted to. It seemed to me the only thing that would come out shout I open my mouth would be a blood curdling scream. When I didn't reply he pulled the machine again and I felt my ligaments fraying even more. Any more of this and they'd probably just be pulled apart, but I wasn't going to answer.

"Where are the Scales?" a new man growled on a new day. Again, I didn't answer but let him drag the blade down my arms similarly to what we did with Mr. Rodenmaar…but 100 times more painful. "I know you know, so where are they?"

Still I remained silent. Every day for what felt like an eternity I was questioned, as were Sarah, Rufus, and Eddie, and every day we were silent. None of us had cracked, and even our captors realized we probably wouldn't. Anubis and Osiris didn't choose weak people to be their Servants.

On the 6th day, Shaba returned. Everything hurt like I'd been tossed into a volcano, but I still managed to stand in her presence. I would not let her see me weak, not now, not ever. "I don't get why you won't just answer our questions," she tisked shaking her head. "You could avoid such pain. Good people are so annoying."

"I'm not a good person," I told her thinking of what I'd allowed be done to Mr. Rodenmaar and even my friends by not talking. "But even Hitler didn't want the world destroyed."

Shaba shook her head, "Hitler won't get a chance to destroy the world. I can use the scales on him, use the feather, and he'll answer for his crimes before he begins them. Can't you see that I want what's best for the world? All those guilty, all those who are liars will go up in flames.

"Everyone lies," I growled kicking a rock up at her. "Especially you."

"If only you were lying when you said you weren't the Chosen One," Shaba sighed ignoring me completely. "Your life would be so much better right now, wouldn't it?"

Yes, it would, but I couldn't change the truth.

"We've accepted you won't be answering any questions," she finally admitted. "Your executions will begin tomorrow morning starting with Eddie. I do hope one of you will have the sense to speak up and save yourself. Martyrs always are so scrupulous, but they're also dead. Goodnight my friends…it will be the last night some of you will see."


	34. Chapter 33B House of Death

This should have gone with the last chapter but I didn't think things through.

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Chapter 33 B

House of Death

Shaba kept her promise.

The torture stopped, and my body began to heal. My soul however…it wouldn't heal for as long as I lived. (Which wouldn't be long now at all.)

On the first day, she took Eddie. Then Rufus. Then Sarah.

I was the only one left; all my friends were dead. For once I was glad I'd sent my friends home, at least they'd live. If only I could prove to them that it was worth it, but they would die thinking we'd just never returned. They didn't know we'd barely lasted two weeks without them.

Fabian's face was all I could see. He must have been so hurt, so upset when I sent him away, and I could never apologize. I could never tell him just how much I loved him. I'd never see him standing by the altar. I'd never watch him hold our child in his arms. He'd move on with his life, marry someone else, and I'd just be dead.

Dead before my 19th birthday. If Anubis really picked the day, I'd die then he was a sadistic prick.

When Shaba came for me it was the best moment of my miserably short life. At least once I was dead everything wouldn't hurt much. Plus, I'd get to slap Anubis in the face and figure out how to kill and immortal god. Killing Anubis would be a pleasure, but next time Shaba came to visit the afterlife killing her would be the highlight of my death.

"I'm going to give you one more chance to hand over the Feather and tell me where the Scales are," Shaba cooly stated as she strung me to the funeral pyre I'd die in. "You don't have to die."

"I'm glad to die," I told her looking up at the sun for the last time. "Thank the gods I won't have to see your sick face again."

Shaba shook her head and ran her fingers as close to the Feather as the old magic would let her. "Some things don't burn, luckily, and then I'll have this anyway. I'll find the Scales myself and all of your resistance will be fruitless."

"Go to Hell," I spit in her face sending up blood along with saliva. Shaba just whipped it away and smiled.

"I'm sorry Nina, but that's just where you're going."

And then she lit me on fire.


	35. Chapter 34 House of Liars

It's really funny how much you all hate me when I do stuff like that. It's even funnier how little I care.

And in case you were wondering, the Nano story I'm writing is about Lucifer's daughter...so yes, it's an autobiography. :)

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Chapter 34

House of Liars

I wasn't dead.

The fire didn't touch my body… just bounced across it harmlessly. Still, it looked like I was dying. I watched as my skin burnt, but I felt nothing. Even once I looked like a pile of ashes I felt whole.

The only thing I had to say about that? WTF.

Someone (the sunlight blocked my view) swept my 'ashes' into a bag and teleported me to a new place… there I saw four more piles of ashes. With the sound of a snap I saw my friend's bodies reform and though they all shook about as much as I did, we were alive.

"What the hell just happened?" Rufus asked after we all exchanged sobbing hugs. "Who…what?"

"I just saved your lives," a woman called and I turned to see Nebthet behind us. "Though considering I endangered them in the first place it was my duty."

"Who…who are you?" Sarah stammered stepping behind a defensive Rufus. "What? What do you mean?"

Eddie shook his head and stepped closer to me, "She's a goddess. Nebthet. She gave us the Feather and Scales of Truth to hide. Which we did, and then got killed over."

Nebthet rolled her eyes, "Do you look dead? I saved you from a horribly painful death, though alas I couldn't save you from the pain before it. I see I made a mistake in trusting you with the Instruments of Anubis. Eddie, why don't you get me the Scales and I'll take care of them."

Eddie looked around, clearly noticing where we were for the first time, and nodded. He quickly disappeared into the house by which we stood, and even quicker returned Scales in hand. "It's my father's house," he explained looking down as if I'd criticize his hiding spot. "He only ever uses it in the summer and I've never slept a night in the bed he bought me but…"

"It was a good spot," I told him with a weak smile as I pulled the Feather from my hair. Eddie looked at it and shook his head.

"I should have known you wouldn't trust any hiding spot you couldn't see."

I only shrugged. How was I to know that the power the Feather held, the pulsing in my hand, wouldn't work in the time I needed it most. All the while we were being tortured I called on the power, but I couldn't use it. It seemed now that I was out of trouble the power returned: how typical.

"I do thank you for protecting them," Nebthet called out her smile bright. "Now, please, give them here to me."

I reached out a hand to grab the Scales from Eddie and was surprised that they no longer burned. Maybe the exposure to the Feather had desensitized me to magic, or maybe it was something else entirely. Whatever the case I just wanted to get rid of these, crawl into my bed, and cry until I died…again.

"Don't give them to her Nina," a voice called out as I stepped towards the goddess. I turned on my heals to see Shaba pinned down by Rufus and Eddie alike. She, however, didn't look worried at all by the two Osirians at her throat. "I'm a goddess," she reminded us. "You can't kill me… Now Nina, step away from Nebthet.

The goddess who tortured me, and then killed me wanted me to step away from Nebthet? I'm no fool for stepping closer.

"I know you hate me," Shaba called out and I noticed the boys for some reason hadn't shut her up with a fist. "And you have all the right to, but I had to do it. Otherwise she'd know who I was really working for."

"Yourself!" Nebthet hissed stepping towards the other goddess. "You're a coward who's always worked only for yourself. Nina, give me the Instruments."

Call me crazy, but this time I didn't step closer. No, I stepped away from both goddesses warily. Something was wrong here, and I needed to figure out what quickly.

"Nebthet told me to kidnap you and torture you for information. She wanted you scared enough to give her the Instruments. But when you do she can use them against everyone. Anubis knew what she was up to and sent me to work as a double agent. Please, Nina, you don't need to give me to Instruments, just don't give them to her."

It seemed like a logical thing to do. Both Shaba and Nebthet were goddesses, which meant they couldn't steal the pulsing objects in my hands. If I made no move at all it wouldn't matter who was telling the truth-I'd still have all the leverage.

But at the same time why would I listen to Shaba at all? Why would I let her make me doubt? She literally set me on fire.

"Don't do this just to spite me," Shaba pleaded looking much more like the schoolgirl I'd come to call a friend. "You know nothing can go wrong if you keep the Instruments. No human can touch them and no god can steal them. They're yours to keep safe, so keep them safe."

"You don't want their burden," Nebthet reminded stepping closer until she realized I'd just keep moving away. "Shaba will torture you and your friends until you give them to her. Just give them to me be done with it."

I shook my head feeling confused. I knew I couldn't trust Shaba, but I didn't trust Nebthet either. "Nina," Eddie whispered in my ear and I remembered he was even there. "Don't listen to either of them, listen to me. You said to me back in 2012 that being the Osirian or Chosen One meant knowing what to do when you needed to do it. You know in your heart what you need to do, so do it."

Eddie was right. I did know what I needed to do, and I was about to do it when Shaba grabbed the Instruments from my hands.


	36. Chapter 35 House of Sacrafice

I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this but I decided to be nice because I finished the story so you can get the last chapter tomorrow. Cheers! Oh and bonus points to Violinrocker12 who called something in this chapter months ago.

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Chapter 35

House of Sacrifice

Two things crossed my mind at once: gods can't steal that which belongs to another god, and Shaba just threw that rule out the window.

The goddess held the objects in her hands, and I noticed the legit flames burning up her arms. She must have been in extreme agony, but she stood smiling at Nebthet. "I couldn't let you get them. I'd die for mankind; you'd destroy them."

Oh my gods. Shaba really was telling the truth. She'd stolen the Instruments, and they would kill her, but now Nebthet couldn't take them. The only traitor was Nebthet herself. "It's over Nebthet. I'd suggest you run before Anubis comes now that he knows of your treachery."

Nebthet yowled into the air before turning to me an insane smile on her face. "Why don't I give him a little present then? Two dead Chosen Ones should do the trick, don't you think?"

Before I could even fathom what had happened, Eddie was standing in front of me arms crossed before his face as a deadly bolt of darkness hovered before him. The boy didn't even look to be breathing…actually no one did.

I looked around, and quickly realized what had happened. Time…time was stopped. Someone had frozen everyone but me…and that someone could only be one person.

"I'm an idiot," I sighed looking at the woman before me. "Mrs. R, Renpet."

Mrs. R, Renpet, whoever she was, smiled, "It wasn't your brightest moment, but then it's better you didn't know. I'm not sure I could have denied you a path home before your work was done."

Work? "Oh," I whispered looking between the frozen goddesses. "You sent us back to stop Nebthet."

Renpet, much to my surprise, shook her head. "I sent you back to stop Renpet and Eddie to protect you. The rest of your friends came along by accident…so I was glad to give Henet a spell for you to bring them out of the line of fire."

So she had this all planned out from the beginning? Was I supposed to be grateful to this goddess who allowed us to be tortured and killed? Because I sure as Hell wasn't.

"I don't need your gratitude," Renpet chuckled. "I need your obedience. Soon I will have to unfreeze time, and you will have to eliminate Nebthet."

Eliminate? As in kill. "In case you didn't realize it she's a goddess, which means she's immortal. I can't kill her."

Renpet raised an eyebrow and looked over to where Shaba stood burning. "Is that so? Even we gods were created out of Ma'at, and Ma'at can destroy even an immortal. Henet knew that would be the case when she touched the Instruments, but she still did so. Still, you don't have to kill Nebthet to punish her. You are the Chosen One of Anubis. A word from you and Nebthet will be sent back to your Master's domain."

I understood what she meant…and remembered one of the spells Shaba had taught me. "W'pen," I called and the ground split open hurtling Nebthet back into the Afterlife the hard way. She was Anubis and Osiris' problem now. Renpet nodded in approval and moved Eddie out of harm's way before snapping her finger and disappearing.

"What the heck just happened?" Eddie mumbled, but I was already by Shaba's side. I pulled the Instruments from her hands, but it was too late. The flames went out, but that didn't make me think for one second she wasn't still dying.

"You're such an idiot," I told the girl a tear dripping down my cheek. "I wasn't even going to give her them."

Shaba chuckled, but it came out as a dying cough. "Don't tell me that. I thought I was being a hero."

"You are a hero," I told her laying the small goddess back on the soft grass. "You saved the whole world."

Shaba shook her head, "You saved the world Nina. I just pushed you along the right path…besides. What kind of hero can't even save themselves?"

"The stupid kind," I joked trying to keep the goddess smiling.

Shaba did smile, "I told you that you were the best. Goodbye Nina, I'm glad to die for you. Look at me, first immortal to die. I should get a statue or something. Henet, goddess of idiots."

I was crying too hard for my laughter not to come out as a choke, which only made Shaba smile as she faded away and crumbled to dust. All that remained was a little egg…like that of a pelican.

"Nina, what just happened?" Eddie asked coming up behind me. Choking back my tears, I stuffed the egg in my pocket and turned to him.

"Nebthet was trying to steal the Instruments, but Shaba made sure she couldn't. I… I sent Nebthet back to the Afterlife to receive her punishment."

Sarah came forward shaking her head, "But she was a goddess..how could she…die?"

I looked at the egg in my hand, "She didn't. Matter can't be created or destroyed, only changed."

Eddie covered my hands with his and smiled, "Only changed."


	37. Chapter 36 House of Changes

Chapter 36

House of Changes

I knew I was home not because Rufus, Victor and Sarah were gone, but because I heard a car flying past. 2012…I'd wanted to be home for some long I hadn't even stopped to think of that which I'd leave behind.

"Nina," Eddie whispered looking over to the newfound cemetery stood beside Anubis house. I didn't need to get any closer to see what the three objects in it were-two tombstones and a statue.

By gods they'd actually bought the statues.

"Sarah's been dead for a while," I told him trying not to cry again. "I already cried over her once."

"You didn't know her then," Eddie whispered pulling me into his arms. "Not really. It's okay to miss them…I know I'll miss Rufus, even if he did kidnap me."

But he hadn't… we'd changed so much no way had Rufus ever actually kidnapped Eddie, or Patricia, or probably anyone for that matter. "I want to find Fabian," I finally whispered whipping my tears across my sleeve. "I need to find Fabian."

Eddie let me go, and I ran into Anubis house in a frenzy. Voices whispered in the kitchen, and I burst in throwing myself around Fabian. He didn't hold back for a second but cupped my face in his hands and kissed me unlike he'd ever kissed me before. For once our kiss was rushed, was desperate. Neither of us were sure we'd get another kiss, and this kiss was the only way for me to say sorry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I cried into his sleeve when we broke apart. "I had…had to send you away."

"It's okay," Fabian whispered back pulling me into a tight hug. "I knew it wasn't forever. I knew you'd come home."

"Well I didn't!" Amber cried from behind looking very, very annoyed. "Nina Martin how dare you do that to me and apologize with a letter!"

"Amber," Alfie cried from his seat. "What are you guys even talking about? Why are you acting as if you haven't seen Nina for months? She just walked outside five minutes ago."

Oh. I hadn't even thought of those who hadn't come into the past with us, but for them… for them this was the only reality they knew. Did Alfie even know about Sibuna…had he even ever dated Amber?

From the look on her face when he spoke the answer was no. This was a completely different Alfie from the one I knew, and maybe not a better one. For all it was worth Sibuna had changed us all, the mysteries had changed us all, Victor's society…

"What is going on in here?" It was Victor, I'd know his voice anywhere, but it wasn't my Victor. No…he sounded much younger. I turned on my heels to find Victor looking only a few years older than when I'd last seen him five minutes ago. He must have begun taking the Elixir earlier…but why?

I followed his eyes over to Amber and understood with a gulp. 80 years he'd waited for her, and I realized maybe it wasn't such a bad thing Amfie wasn't a thing in this universe. Victor deserved some happiness. "Miss Martin, would you mind coming with me for a minute?"

I looked over at Fabian confused, but he only nodded. Clearly I was right in my assessment of how much things had changed. How much my actions had changed.

Victor's office itself looked so different, like that of a young man and not his father. Mr. Rodenmaar… I didn't even know what happened to him, but something told me Nebthet had destroyed him along with Set when she kidnapped us. It seemed as much as I'd changed some things stayed the same.

"It's been quite difficult these last two years having a girl around who knows nothing of our shared past. I'm glad to see you again Nina."

"You too Victor," I told him with a sad smile. "Sarah and Rufus…"

It didn't surprise me when Victor shook his head, "Rufus never took the elixir, he aged, and died in 2004. Sarah followed behind a few weeks later. They lived here their whole lives, and I buried them myself." I was glad that if I'd changed one thing it was the destruction of their friendships. They deserved happy endings more than anyone else I knew.

"Before she died," Victor continued reaching into his still-cluttered desk. "Sarah asked me to give this to you. I've never opened it." Victor handed me an aging letter and I carefully tucked it into my pocket with Shaba's egg. "She wanted you to know she was safe and happy…even if she couldn't tell you herself."

I nodded knowing that if I read this letter now I'd just start crying again. "And you? I see the elixir I left you went to good use."

Victor smiled, "Well, I had a date planned and I couldn't get old for it, now could I? Go on, read your letter, reunite with your friends. I'm glad to see you again Nina, I dare say you are my eldest friend."

"See you later, Victor," I told him feigning a smile and trying not to show how weirded out I was. "Maybe later you can give me a rundown of how things ended when I left."

Victor nodded, but his eyes weren't making any promises. It seemed that despite how long ago our friendship had begun there were still things he didn't want to share.

And you know what? I could respect that.

I debated going back downstairs and reuniting with Fabian, but I knew I had to read Sarah's letter first. I had my whole life to spend with Fabian, and now I needed to let Sarah go.

_Dearest Nina,_

_ Today is my 90__th__ birthday, but as I write these words I feel 18 again. I will never forget the day we met, for it was the weirdest in my long life. Still, I don't regret a minute of our friendship. You were the sister I never had, the family I lost, and I will miss you for as long as I may live._

_ Rufus and I got the Instruments safely back to Anubis. There were some bumps along the way, but that is far too long a story for me to tell. All you need to know is that Shaba didn't die in vain, and she will not be forgotten._

_ Rufus commissioned a statue of a pelican years ago. You can find it now outside Anubis house. I think you should go look at it; you may find it's inscription amusing. _

_ A few years after you left I assembled the Cup and hid it in my father's tunnels. As far as I know no one is looking for it, however, and it is best for us to leave it that way. _

_ Rufus and I got married and had two children. We had many great-grandkids, but though they never understood why our two favorite found places at Anubis house. Their names: Eddie and Nina._

_ When my granddaughter, Suzan, told me she'd named her daughter Nina I couldn't believe my ears. Still it made sense. We always did look so much alike, and you had to get the blood of Amnertis from somewhere. I guess, if you're reading this, the version of Nina who knew me as a grandmother is gone. If I have any regrets it would be that. I do not know if we were related in your version of time, but I suspect we were. I also suspect in your reality I never knew my children, which is a horrible fate and one I'm very glad to have escaped._

_ I'm sorry to be going on about my life, but I thought you deserved to know. You are my blood, and you are my friend, and until I breathe my last I will miss you._

_ I hope you will miss me._

_ Love, always,_

_ Sarah Zeno_

Tears drizzled down my cheeks as I rose from my bed and stepped out into the graveyard where Sarah lay. I found her tombstone aging, but I turned away from it. We'd said our goodbye, and I just need to fulfill Sarah, no, my great-grandmother's last request.

As I placed the egg beneath Shaba's statue I could only laugh at the inscription. **Shaba, goddess of idiots and patron of Sibuna.**

Yes, it was good to be home.


	38. Author's Note

Author's Note

This is my 7th house of Anubis story, but by far my favorite to write. If we're being honest it's good that I had Nano's beginning forcing me with a deadline because I would probably have just run this story dry I was enjoying it so much. Still, I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

I often ask myself why I still write for House of Anubis. The show has been over for over a year and a half, yet I carry on. My writing for this fandom began because I had a plot idea I just needed to get out of my mind, but here I am, almost a year later, still writing.

I guess what keeps me going is you guys. In none of my other fandom do I get such enthusiastic and consistent responses. You're all so nice, and willing to chat, and just plan lovely. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY STORY. I know I'm mean to you guys, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. As I said the other day "I'm mean to you, which must mean I like you." Truly I love you all, and thank you so much.

Now I must go on a month hiatus for Nano. I won't be writing anything House of Anubis, but please don't stop talking to me. Come and have a chat, or ask me to beta for you, or anything. Please I don't want to lose my only friends! I do count you all as friends, and please come to me to chat, or ask for advice, or anything. I don't want to lose you guys!

Be that as it may, I won't be writing for you until December 1st, when I'll start a very new kind of story. Because I'm mean I'll give you guys a little teaser plot synopsis.

Nina hasn't seen Fabian since she left Anubis house, so when she discovers he's going to be playing Raul in her new production…well she's a bit surprised. Now she has to keep her character's feelings separate from her own, all the while battling a sinister new evil. After all, she was still the Chosen One, and it wasn't called Phantom of the Opera for no reason.


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